The fundamental stages behind every product This book is a practical and accessible guide to understanding and applying the concept of product lifecycle, providing you with the essential information and saving time. In 50 minutes you will be able to: • Understand the theory of the product lifecycle and the features of each of the four phases: launch, growth, maturity and decline • Learn how to make the right decisions according to the lifecycle phases of your product and how to react during the decline phase • Identify how you can use the product lifecycle to tailor your marketing strategies and constantly innovate and improve your product in order to prolong its growth phase ABOUT 50MINUTES.COM | Management & Marketing 50MINUTES.COM provides the tools to quickly understand the main theories and concepts that shape the economic world of today. Our publications are easy to use and they will save you time. They provide elements of theory and case studies, making them excellent guides to understand key concepts in just a few minutes. In fact, they are the starting point to take action and push your business to the next level.

`A text that successfully bridges the gap between academic theorizing and practitioner applicability because it uses multiple real-world examples/mini-cases of management techniques to illustrate the well-researched academic theoretical foundations of the book′ - Creativity and Innovation Management `A complete and useful treatment of the domain of product and service decisions. This book is unique in its treatment, dealing with product and service portfolio evaluation, new product/service development and product/service elimination in an integrated manner. Enlivened by many mini-cases, the book provides a soup-to-nuts approach that will prove very attractive for students and be a valuable reference for managers as well. Highly recommended′ - Gary L Lilien, Distinguished Research Professor of Management Science, Penn State University `Product and Services Management (PSM) is a welcome, up to date summary of the key issues facing firms in developing and refreshing their portfolios. The examples and cases bring the academic arguments clearly into focus and demonstrate the crucial role of PSM in leading the overall strategy of the firm′ - Professor Graham Hooley, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Aston University, Birmingham `Managers responsible for and students interested in product portfolio decisions previously had to consult several sources for obtaining up-to-date information; books on new product development, articles on service development, readers on product management, and frameworks for product evaluation and termination. With the book Product and Services Management the reader obtains four-in-one. Avlonitis and Papastathopoulou reveal in a compelling and comprehensive manner why product decisions are the cornerstone of modern marketing and business, and illustrate the theory with numerous mini-cases from Europe and elsewhere. A must read for everyone with a passion for products′ - Dr Erik Jan Hultink, Professor of New Product Marketing, Delft University of Technology This book provides a holistic approach to the study of product and services management. It looks at the key milestones within a product′s or service life cycle and considers in detail three crucial areas within product management, namely product/service portfolio evaluation, new product/service development and product/service elimination. Based on research conducted in Europe and North America, this book includes revealing cases studies that will help students make important connections between theory and practice. The pedagogical features provided in each chapter include chapter introduction, summary, questions and a further reading section. Additional material for instructors include PowerPoint slides and indicative answers to each chapter′s questions. This book is written for undergraduate and postgraduate students of business administration who are pursuing courses in marketing, product portfolio management, new product development and product policy.

Understand Michael Porter’s value chain in no time! Find out everything you need to know about this valuable business tool with this practical and accessible guide. The Harvard Business School professor Michael E. Porter has dedicated much of his career to studying competitive advantage. One of his best-known concepts is the value chain, which is used to deliver a product or service to the market and has three key objectives: to improve services, to reduce costs and to create value. The model can be applied to virtually any business in any sector, making it a vital tool for companies looking to make the most of their competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded market. In 50 minutes you will be able to: •Identify the nine functions that generate value within a business •Analyse your company’s activity to make the most of your competitive advantage •Find areas for improvement and take concrete steps to maximise performance ABOUT 50MINUTES.COM | MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING The Management and Marketing series from the 50Minutes collection provides the tools to quickly understand the main theories and concepts that shape the economic world of today. Our publications will give you elements of theory, definitions of key terms and case studies in a clear and easily digestible format, making them the ideal starting point for readers looking to develop their skills and expertise.

"Shrewd attention to the product life cycle is critical to competitive advantage. That means managing everything from product development to the service life cycle. This collection provides a comprehensive guide to the product life cycle, with articles on collaborative project design, going to market, managing the service life cycle, and more. Included are Kim Clark and Takahiro Fujimoto's "The Power of Product Integrity" and the best-selling "Exploit the Product Life Cycle" by Theodore Levitt."--