Phasing Out Weak Products

The article attempts to define the seriousness of the product-line pruning problem and describes a new control system currently under development for conducting efficient and rapid annual product checkups. The author presents a detailed discussion of the new approach so that it can be implemented by any company concerned with limiting its product population to the more robust contenders. The system consists of the appointment of a high-level and broadly representative management team which holds meetings at about the same time each year for the purpose of spotting dubious products, evaluating them, choosing those which must be dropped, and developing the phasing-out program for them.