Planned Obsolescence, Total Quality, Zero Defects and Global Competition

Abstract

A global firm's success is conditioned by its ability to manage the system of intangible corporate assets (corporate culture, corporate identity, and information system) and intangible product assets (product design, brand equity and pre/after-sales services). Corporate imitation and innovation processes are a primary condition to compete in global markets and entail identifying and proposing design management products with 'new' features that change over time and space. Product design defines the functions that qualify a product or service to identify and organise the distinctive specifications of the firm’s offer, and develop goods and services based on the analysis of competition and demand needs (customer satisfaction). Competitive design management can be oriented towards different forms of flexible production (The Fourth Industrial Revolution), specifically related to products based on planned obsolescence, total quality, or a rigid competitive philosophy of zero defects.