Premium
Car wars: Factors underlying the success or failure of new car programs
Author(s) -
Hanawalt Edward S.,
Rouse William B.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
systems engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.474
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1520-6858
pISSN - 1098-1241
DOI - 10.1002/sys.20158
Subject(s) - automotive industry , context (archaeology) , listing (finance) , new product development , product (mathematics) , marketing , process (computing) , business , success factors , industrial organization , engineering , finance , computer science , paleontology , business administration , geometry , mathematics , biology , aerospace engineering , operating system
This paper explores the factors responsible for success or failure of an automobile through a case study analysis of 10 product successes and 10 product failures in the United States auto market over the last 50 years. Through the creation and analysis of twenty case studies we have generated a first listing of 14 factors driving success or failure. Seven experts assessed the extent to which these factors were associated with each automobile. Their assessments indicate that the product development system of new automobiles, particularly those that are highly successful, is often born from financial and corporate responses to market crisis. The target segment of a new entry in the automotive market and its development process as they are adapted to economic conditions in the marketplace, coupled with leadership, are central success factors. The role of these factors play in the success of automobiles is discussed in the context of several case studies. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 13