INNOVATIVE PRODUCT DESIGN APPROACHES FOR IMPLEMENTING MARKETING STRATEGY: THE LINKAGE

Taiwanese consumer electronic products are favored by consumers globally, owing to the producing industry's ability to rapidly generate innovations. This study examined local consumer electronics industry enterprises for their product marketing strategies adopted to establish market advantage to deal with global competition. For assessing their product innovation approaches to marketing strategy, a questionnaire survey was conducted, and through factor analysis and cluster analysis these companies were classified into four different marketing strategic groups (Market Leader, Market Focus, Market Challenge, and Market Niche). In-depth case study was then conducted on selected companies in each of these groups. These enterprises in different marketing strategic groups each adopted a different approach in design innovation. More importantly, there exist tight relationships between enterprises in each group and their corresponding characteristics in innovation type, market goals, appeals, and features. This model of marketing strategic group and its matching characteristics may serve as a reference list. For example, a company may choose characteristics according to its current group; or, if a company is interested in moving into another group, it will know which characteristics to adopt.