Archives posted in: Product

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Trying to Put the Toothpaste Back Into the Tube

By James T. Berger August 19, 2009

Now that the recession seems to be ending and the slow recovery process is under way, a new vision of the post-recession economic environments is beginning to take shape. And, the picture is a lot different than it was before the economy’s free fall.

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Profiting with the Post Recession Customer

By Tim J. Smith, PhD August 19, 2009

The current recession has been longer, deeper, and generally more damaging than any other since the great depression. As we move past the recessionary scramble to survive and into some semblance of a recovery, no intelligent executive should expect things to return to the way they were. Research into customer behavior is showing two general trends: (1) Demand is not only generally lower, but also the demand that does exist is at a lower price point. (2) This shift in customer demand and preferences is likely to persist for the foreseeable future.
If the world has changed, so must strategy:

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Product Variety Management and Sales Volume

By Tim J. Smith, PhD July 23, 2009

Choice is good, more choice is better … or is it? Is it always better to offer customers more choices, or should companies restrict the choices available to customers in some situations?

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Executive Conversations: Symantec’s Brian Foster

By Tim J. Smith, PhD July 1, 2007

Microsoft has continues their thrust into the enterprise software market with their recent acquisition and expansion of their security software.  As they…

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Turn Data into Actionable Information – Business Objects

By Tim J. Smith, PhD August 18, 2004

Business Objects has become a household name in industrial markets. Founded in 1992, they achieved 20% growth to just below $1 billion…

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Deep Innovation: The Well-Oiled and the Cantankerous

By Tim J. Smith, PhD August 4, 2004

What factor drives innovation into large companies versus entrepreneurial firms? Should firms fund deep innovation within or should innovation be driven through…

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Leverage Analysts – Inovis

By Tim J. Smith, PhD August 4, 2004

Inovis, privately held by Golden Gate Capital, did $100 million in revenue in 2003 and has over 17,000 customers. Their focus has…

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Listen to Customers – Descartes Systems Group

By Tim J. Smith, PhD June 23, 2004

Founded in 1981, this public company achieved $62 million in revenue in 2003 and has over 2500 customers in 60 countries. Recently,…

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Fulfill an Unmet Need – QAS

By Tim J. Smith, PhD May 26, 2004

What will drive success at your company? I asked seven executives charged with generating revenue in business markets this question on May…

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CSA Explains… Quality Software Programming – Presentation Synopsis

By Tim J. Smith, PhD March 2, 2003

I have heard people say “Quality isn’t very important, just look at the software produced by Microsoft.” Well, how important is quality?…

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