Winning at New Products: Accelerating the Process from Idea to Launch
Author: Robert Gravlin Cooper
List Price: $29.00
Our Price: Click to see the latest and low price
ISBN: 0738204633
Publisher: Perseus Publishing (05 June, 2001)
Sales Rank: 3,142
Average Customer Rating: 4.33 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 4 out of 5
Thorough Textbook for Serious New Products Dev. Managers
REVIEW: (Rev of 2nd edition) It is now widely accepted that innovation is a core competence that is required by nearly all organizations. As a result, many companies have been very successful at generating new innovations. However, generating innovations is just the first step and an excess of innovations in many companies has created a need for good management processes to deal with them. These are the issues addressed by this book and there may be no other place where these issues are addressed as thoroughly and well as here. The author provides a thorough review and analysis of each step of the development process from idea to commercial launch. While the book can be slow reading at times, I firmly believe the author's method of separating the process into stages and providing screening mechanisms between the stage are excellent advice. Following these methods should lead to: (1) accelerated product development, (2) increased success rate of new products, and (3) a more effective and efficient new products development process. Accordingly, the book should be especially useful to those managers responsible for portfolios of new products. If this is you, this book is highly recommended.STRENGTHS: The book provides a very thorough review and analysis of the new product development process from innovation through to launch. The author has done a very thorough review of the research in this field and the book does an excellent job of citing other material. The book also contains an appropriate use of graphics for illustrating some points.
WEAKNESSES: While the book doesn't focus on any particular industry, its teachings are probably most applicable to more traditional product companies (e.g. P&G, DuPont). Also, (and this maybe an unfair comment for a book targeted at products) the book probably isn't that helpful for innovations in services which may be even more important in modern companies than product innovation (e.g. GE and IBM are currently pushing services). Another concern, the book is fairly "textbook like" and only those seriously interested in the subject may find it easy/enjoyable to read. Some passages seem to drag on and I often wished the author would have been more concise and not tried to so thoroughly justify every point.
WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: Product development managers, new business managers, and others responsible for bringing innovations to market should read this book. Those responsible for _portfolios_ of new products/innovations may especially find this book useful.
ALSO CONSIDER: Jeffrey A Timmons - New Venture Creation; Guy Kawasaki - Rules for Revolutionaries; Peter F. Drucker - Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Rating: 5 out of 5
Its All Here!
Bob Cooper provides a clear roadmap for new product success. Figuring out the smartest, most consistent way to create winning products can be the key to long term success. Yet setting up systems and process to help employees achieve these results without burdening them with unecessary bureaucracy is a challenging task. Using a solid research base and the experiences of dozens of corporations, Bob Cooper lays out a clear yet flexible blueprint for managing new product development. Its all here for those who are interested. I have read many books on this subject but this is the one I use and refer too all the time. An excellent resource.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Interesting treatise on taking new products to market
Cooper does a great job presenting the value of his "stage gate" system for developing and launching new products while minimizing risk of failure. A bit academic, but useful advice for all product managers in any industry. Similar Products
The PDMA Handbook of New Product Development
Portfolio Management for New Products
The Product Manager's Handbook : The Complete Product Management Resource
Developing Products in Half the Time: New Rules, New Tools, 2nd Edition
Product Leadership: Creating and Launching Superior New Products
Book Index