Product Introduction Strategies

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Erik Maier; Professor Dr. André Marchand
• Subject Area: Management and Marketing
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 567015721

Product innovations are a key driver for the long-term economic survival of businesses and are, therefore, highly relevant for firms and society at large. However, many product innovations fail, making it crucial for organizations to better understand the factors that drive success. This research project pursues four interconnected objectives in this respect. The first objective is to synthesize and quantify the contradictory findings of previous research on stock market reactions to product innovations through a meta-analysis. This will help derive concrete recommendations for action and identify research gaps. The second objective is to gain a deeper understanding of potential cannibalization effects of product innovations within existing product categories, brands, and competing products by analyzing extensive panel data from the German retail sector. The third objective aims to identify the success factors of product innovations at the level of regional private-label brands, particularly regarding ecological sustainability, using data from a major retailer. Finally, the fourth objective seeks to better understand market expectations for radical innovations before their market launch. This will be achieved through AI-based analysis of consumer reviews, including text and images, from seven European countries, as well as through self-conducted experiments. With these insights, the applicants expect to significantly reduce the risk of failed product innovations, especially for products distributed in German and European retail markets. As a preliminary achievement, the applicants have already secured a research grant for data (AiMark Foundation) and established partnerships with several research collaborators (Globus stores, DVJ Insights, and the Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture, and Geology), who are interested in the scientific findings of the project.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants