Ch. 11 – Developing and Managing Products

Diffusion of Innovation...

Innovation is a product perceived as new by a potential adopter. It really doesn't matter whether the product is "new to the world" or some other category of new product. If it is new to a potential adopter, it is an innovation, which Porsche is not short of. 

Innovation is crucial to product development. Porsche didn't developed products that did not exist before (well they did make the first hybrid, but that's another post). The Cayman wasn't the first coupe sports car, the Cayenne wasn't the first sports based truck, and the Panamera wasn't the first sports sedan! With that said, what makes Porsche so called “innovative?”  

In this context, Porsche is in the front of the pack as far as innovation is concerned. As I mentioned earlier it’s a "product perceived as new by a potential adopter." An excellent example of this is currently happening now at Porsche is new Cayenne diesel that’s been debuted under, of course, the Cayenne product line. For Porsche it was only natural to expect something new for one the models, but in the span of two years they have taking innovation to a whole new level from the Cayenne S Hybrid, Panamera Turbo S, Cayenne Diesel and with much anticipation the soon to be Porsche Macan.

Managers for Porsche have been efficient in successfully marketing products this way. They are tending to needs whether it performance or efficiency and understand that development and management with their products can always improve. Porsche managers also understand how important it is for the consumers to learn and adopt the products they are designing and enhancing.