Application of the Industrial Life Cycle Concept

Abstract

The life cycle of products is a major concern in business all over the world. This Appendix proposes the Industrial Life Cycle Concept integrating the innovation, location, and marketing aspects. It is a very holistic concept in two regards. First, it deals with a whole category of products including multigeneration products. Second, it considers the whole supply chain from the consumers to suppliers. We demonstrated the industrial life cycle concept through a home-use VCR case study. The time frame is divided into five stages: introduction stage (before 1980); early growth stage (1980-1984); late growth stage (1985-1989); maturity stage (1990-2001); and decline stage (after 2002).