Developing a Framework for Sources of New Product Ideas

In 1992, Stanley F. Stasch, Ronald T. Lonsdale, and Noel M. LaVenka proposed a detailed framework for classifying sources of new product ideas, based on a review of over one hundred cases. They identified ten major categories and 22 subcategories, including laboratory sources, management sources, company situations, distribution sources, supplier sources, consumer sources, and marketplace sources, each exemplified by actual products like Procter & Gamble's Olestra and Upjohn's Rogaine. The document highlights the importance of planned innovation and suggests that new product idea generation should not be left to chance. It emphasizes the multifaceted nature of new product development, with ideas stemming from various internal and external sources, including management initiatives, company circumstances, distribution channels, supplier innovations, consumer feedback, and even accidental discoveries. The authors argue for a systematic approach to idea generation, involving different departments and groups within an organization, to better manage the innovation process.