Title: Product diversity and proliferation as a new mode of competing in the motor car

Authors: T. Von Ghyczy

Addresses: Vice-President, Munich Office, The Boston Consulting Group, Germany

Abstract: This article argues that diversity will become a key competitive weapon in the quest of higher overall market share. It suggests that small-volume makers of specialty cars will continue to have the benefit of monopolizing distant corners of the design space. Their number may multiply. Their share of influence may in fact expand and encroach upon hitherto privileged domains of low cost, high volume manufacturers. Large-volume suppliers will have to expand their envelope of the design space. They will have to do so by harmonizing the inescapable process towards absolute diversity and novel thoughts about manufacturing systems. The possibility of forging this elusive balance is today much closer to reality than ever before.

Keywords: product diversification; strategic planning; vehicle design; automotive manufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1985.061367

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1985 Vol.6 No.4/5, pp.423 - 425

Published online: 25 May 2014 *

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