Thesis

An empirical investigation of the product elimination decision-making process in British manufacturing industry

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 1987
Thesis identifier
  • T5951
Qualification Level
Qualification Name
Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • This thesis contributes to improved product revitalisation / deletion decisions in British industry, by exploring and describing the different policies and practices of UK manufacturers. The decision process is conceptualised in terms of four sequential stages: recognition of a product deletion candidate; analysis of the candidate’s situation and consideration of alternative methods of revitalisation; evaluation of the impact of elimination and reaching a final decision and the Implementation of the final decision. The influence of certain elements of corporate planning and of a number of product-specific factors on the decision variables of each of the four stages is explored. The product-specific factors may be summarised as: 'is the product a range or an item in a range? is the product completely deleted or replaced? and where is the product on its PLC curve?' The first two of these product-specific factors are combined into a classification matrix, entitled ’’The Dropclass Matrix’’, which yields four ’’dropclasses”. The three phases of the study are desk research, an interview survey and a mail survey. The research classifies elimination decision-making for the sample companies, into two groups: those which occur as part of strategic or annual product planning, and those which take place as a result of company control mechanisms. The latter decisions are largely ad hoc. The specific circumstances which set the decision-making process In motion were found to influence the nature and number of factors taken into consideration throughout the decision-making process. It was found that the "dropclass’’ affected the revitalisation and evaluation of the product, while the product’s stage on the PLC curve affected the revitalisation, the evaluation and the implementation stages.
Advisor / supervisor
  • Baker, Michael J., 1935-
  • Avlonitis, George J.
Resource Type
Note
  • Thesis is in two volumes.
DOI
EThOS ID
  • uk.bl.ethos.382377

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file details PDF of volume 1 (T5951) 2026-09-22 Public Download
file details PDF of volume 2 (T5951) 2026-09-22 Public Download