Bimmer32

I took two courses a couple of years ago (as part of my MBA) that dealt extensively on innovation and product life cycle. I haven't read this book above, but what I got out of it was that the consumers are depicted like dogs trying to catch its own tail. In other words, corporate study consumer behave and know that customers continuously demand new products . . . one of the key to company success is innovation and continuously dishing out new products for consumers. Hence, companies like Toshiba, TI, and Intel, to name a few, are major innovators investing heavily in R&D. Well, I can go on and on . . . but this forum is not the right medium.

In short, American and western European companies want to lead in innovation because Asian companies can out manufacture them. The problem innovators don't address is reliability because by their definition, their not pragmatists. That's where BMW is faulting and why Toyota/Lexus and Nissan/Infiniti will overtake BMW/Merc if they don't re-evaluate their strategy. From what I have read in an interview with CEO of MB, he's only putting a bandage on their reliability problems.

Did you know, there are innovation consultant firms? I think that is the bust for the next 5 years. After that, it'll be something else.

znod

Ferrari.
F348 Spider, just a year before the production ended and replaced with new model
F355 Spider - same as above.
F512M - 8 months in production
550 Barchetta - only few hundreds built before production ceased.
And people paid a lot more than $65+ K for these cars...
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I don't see the issue that B32 referred to as being the rapidity of replacement. I see the issue as being one of full disclosure. If you have not read my longer post above, then maybe you'd want to check it out.

[QUOTE=EBMCS03;218855]Exactly, no reasonable expected full disclosure.