The operation was successful but the patient died

Omar Mahmoud

Most new products fail. Failure is attributed to the proposition (weak advertising, parity product, high price, etc.) or to the marketing plan (inadequate media, low distribution, etc.).

The Operation Was Successful But The Patient Died

Why research on innovation is successful yet innovations fail

Omar MahmoudProcter & Gamble Europe

Introduction

'Everyone complains about his poor memory, nobody about his judgement.' La Rochefoucauld

Every year thousands of new products and brands appear on store shelves. In 1995, 22,572 new consumer goods items were introduced in the United States, up from 10,588 in 1988; a twofold increase in seven years. Another estimate is 26,000 new products in 1999 compared to 12,000 in...

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