ABSTRACT
Each of the above quotes contains advice for, warnings about, and uses of going outside for help in new product development and test marketing. Anonymous suggests that going outside can be a learning process. Goodness knows I have seen enough mistakes in this eld, heard of more from colleagues, and, indeed, made my own, to be able to impart some learning to others. Townsend gives good advice about ventures with two companies joining forces in the false belief there is strength in numbers. Usually, both bring some skills or resources to the venture, for example, a supplier and a manufacturer (see, e.g., Houston and Johnson, 2000). I interpret the third aphorism as follows: I have yet to see a consultant’s (the sage’s) report that came to a rm conclusion without technobabble and did not have some disclaimer that further work needed to be done to clarify some ndings. Of course, consultants want to stay employed.
