The business of
Sport: W11007742
Stage: Idea
Generation
Word count: 500
To create
successful new products it is important to understand the consumer’s markets
and competitors by developing products that deliver superior value to its
consumers. Kotler (2012) stresses the importance to carry out strong new
product planning and set up a systematic customer driven new product
development process for finding and growing new products.
Idea
generation is the first stage of the product development process. The importance of the development process
works as a first piece of the entrepreneurial jigsaw puzzle.(Bragg & Bragg 2005) During
this stage many new ideas are generated to find a superior one, allowing you to
use your creativity.(Bragg & Bragg, 2005). It is important to generate many different ideas as they aid towards modifying
the route towards goals. Kotler (2012) suggests major sources of new
product ideas include internal and external sources, including; customers competitors, distributors and
suppliers.
Many new products develop from the products of the past,
making improvements in quality; convenience, cost or variety. An example from
the sports industry can be linked to under armour apparel. Kevin Plank, founder
of under armour, initially developed the idea when he found the
cotton T-shirt that he and the other players wore under their pads would be
heavy, soaked with sweat, failing to hold the moisture. He believed the extra
weight hampered performance. He came up with an idea for a lightweight,
sweat-wicking synthetic T-shirt, which he originally made from fabric found in
women’s undergarments.
Hawkeye is
another example of how sports technology has been improved within the sports industry. Hawk-eye is the name of a line-calling system which
traces a ball's trajectory and sends it to a virtual-reality machine. The
Hawkeye system was invented by a young British computer expert Paul Hawkins, in
which he first launched it in 2001. He used the hawk
eye in television coverage of sporting events such as Test cricket, and it has
now reached the stage of being used by officials in tennis to assist in
adjudicating close line calls.
Idea generation is open to everyone to brainstorm
new ideas; therefore as a sports management student I have devised a few of my
own ideas which could potentially create entrepreneurial success.
§
All-in-one body armor for ice hockey –The all in
one body armor would be easier and less time consuming for ice hockey players
to protect themselves. The idea initially came from watching my brother play
ice hockey and being aware of all the separate parts of armor they have to wear.
§
Waterproof Sports Socks – The sock would allow the consumer to wear them wherever
and whenever you feel the need for waterproof, especially in outdoor sports. From
experiencing working in an a fast paced events team ‘We’re a knock-out’,
demonstrating different activities including water games means I have little
time to change my socks for long periods of times throughout the day.
§ Eagle-Eye in Badminton – Being an
experiences badminton player I have witnessed many disputes about line calls, a
system similar to hawk eye would prevent the disputes.
References:
Bragg, A & Bragg, M (2005). Developing new business ideas. London: Pearson Education. P12-18
Kotler, P & Armstrong,G. (2012). New Product Development. In: Eric Svendsen Principles of Marketing. 14th ed. England: Pearson Education Limited. p282-290.
