Marketing Related Activities in New Product Development (NPD) In Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): “The Case of Glass flake Ltd”

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would first like to express my gratitude for my research coordinator, colleagues, and peers and family whose immense and constant support has been a source of continuous guidance and inspiration.

DECLARATION

I [type your full name here], declare that the following dissertation/thesis and its entire content has been an individual, unaided effort and have not been submitted or published before. Furthermore, it reflects my opinion and take on the topic and is does not represent the opinion of the University.

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TABLE OF CONTENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTii

DECLARATIONiii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Working title of Dissertation1

Outline of the Study1

Background: Overview of Company1

Rationale of the Study3

Objectives of Research4

Research Hypothesis4

Practical and Ethical Issues in the Research5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW6

Overview of New Product Development (NPD) in SMEs6

Role of Marketing in New Product Development (NPD) Process8

Marketing for Small and Medium Enterprises9

Need for an effective NPD Process for SMEs10

Trends of Innovation within SMEs12

Collaboration for Innovation as Marketing Strategy15

Customer Involvement and Its impact on NPD process16

Market Orientation in NPD18

Focusing on Current-Markets21

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY24

REFERENCES25

BIBLIOGRAPHY28

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Working title of Dissertation

Marketing Related Activities in New Product Development (NPD) in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): “The Case of Glassflake Pvt Ltd.”

Outline of the Study

Small and medium sized Enterprises have always been associated to pioneering in the development of new products, using technological advantages. Due to this reason, less attention has been paid to the marketing activities and customer relationship management for these products. This dissertation aims to address the significance of marketing activities in developing new products for SMEs, especially with in particular to the case of Glassflake Pvt Ltd, Leeds, U.K. We will systematically go through this study in order to carefully analyze the given company along with developing a sound understanding about why marketing activities and customer relationship management plays an important role in the development of new products and innovations in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The research will help fill in the gap between the existing literature and the practical implications of the study, leading us to certain recommendations for the future. This gap will identify the aspects that why the marketing activities have a major impact in SME's performance. This gap is related to the connection between the marketing activities with SME's (Carson and Gilmore 2010, 363).

Background: Overview of Company

Glassflake Pvt Ltd is one of the leading innovators and manufacturer of glass flake, which is commonly known as borosilicate glass, a functional substrate with excellent anticorrosion characteristics, that supplies core markets (B2B) in coatings, pigments and polymer industries. Glassflake Pvt Ltd was first developed in the United States in late 19650's and was initially used in roof light panes made from polyester resins, which was at that time a new technological development. After its initial success, the company penetrated into the coating industry where it established itself and created a firm stature for its name as one of the best fighters of corrosions. The emerging Glass flake markets, particularly in the anti-corrosion coatings ...