ABSTRACT
Traditionally, new product ideas have come from research and development personnel, and in companies where the emphasis is on complex product technology, research and development personnel are relied upon for many of the new product ideas. Another important group generating new product ideas is, of course, marketing personnel since salespeople and technical sales personnel are constantly contacting customers and prospects. One of the functions of a marketing research department is to learn the needs of end-users or consumers of current products. Information of this type is obtained by the marketing research personnel from technical or research directors in consuming companies. New product ideas that originate outside the corporate environment generally come from two sources: primary sources, such as customers, distributors, consultants, suppliers, and competitors; secondary sources, such as technical studies, newspaper and magazine leads, special market studies, and governmental reports. Industrial distributors and wholesalers are often called on to help with suggestions for new products.
