COMPETITIVE PRODUCT DESIGN AND INNOVATION STRATEGY: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

The advantages of Taiwan computer and consumer electronic products are their modern appearance, diverse functions, and excellent quality. This case study of Taiwan enterprises that produce computer and consumer electronic products first explored the effective product innovation strategies used by these enterprises to cope with competition in the global market so as to build up a market advantage. Product design strategies were then compared in companies with different innovation strategies. Finally, a mapping model for product innovation and product design strategies was proposed for use by Taiwan enterprises in the computer and consumer electronics industries.
A questionnaire survey and case studies showed that innovation strategies applied in the Taiwan computer and electronics industry can be classified as Aggressive innovation type, Market innovation type, Technical innovation type, and Opportunity innovation type. These four innovation strategies and ways of product design are closely related to the scale, business type and product development conditions in enterprises. Notably, different innovation strategies have different approaches to product design. Generally, product design emphasizes “new experience†in aggressive innovation enterprises, “new value†in market innovation enterprises, “new service†in technical innovation enterprises, and “new positioning†in opportunity innovation enterprises. The findings of this study provide a reference for product R&D and design in enterprises.