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The Context of Early Supplier Involvement

In: Leveraged Innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Francis Bidault

    (Theseus Institute)

  • Charles Despres

    (Theseus Institute
    Ecole Supérieure de Commerce)

  • Christina Butler

    (London Business School)

Abstract

‘A car for two people and a pack of beer.’ This is how critics describe ‘Smart’, the micro-car due to be launched in the very near future and expected to sell at a rate of 200 000 by the year 2000. The Smart car departs from conventional automotive design logic - it is nothing, in fact, if not innovative. This new product, aimed at frayed nerves and urban congestion, is 40 per cent shorter than most European sub-compacts and capable of being parked perpendicular to sidewalks. A top-of-the-line ‘hybrid’ model is equipped with both a gas engine and an electric motor. The body of the car is fitted with plastic panels that can be changed in a short time to give the car a new look in a flash. Smart’s marketing is also expected to break new ground with a novel approach to leasing: consumers will have the option of leasing a ‘transportation solution’ where, for a monthly fee, they buy not only the Smart car but also the right to use a large sedan for a period of time each year.

Suggested Citation

  • Francis Bidault & Charles Despres & Christina Butler, 1998. "The Context of Early Supplier Involvement," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Leveraged Innovation, chapter 1, pages 1-25, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palchp:978-0-230-37782-0_1
    DOI: 10.1057/9780230377820_1
    as

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