Concepts are critical for the development and marketing of productsand services. They constitute the blueprint for these products andservices, albeit at the level of consumers rather than at thetechnical level. A good product concept can help make the product asuccess by guiding developers and advertising in the rightdirection. Yet, there is a dearth of both practical and scientificinformation about how to create and evaluate concepts. There hasbeen little or no focus on establishing knowledge bases forconcepts. Concept development is too often relegated to theso-called "fuzzy front end."
Concept Research in Food Product Design and Developmentremedies this inattention to product concepts by providing a uniquetreatment of concepts for the business professional as well as forresearch scientists. The book begins with simple principles ofconcepts, moves forward to methods for testing concepts, and thenon to more substantive areas such as establishing validity, testinginternationally and with children, creating databases, and sellingin new methods for concept testing. The book combines a "howto" business book with a detailed treatment of the differentfacets of concept research. As such, the book represents a uniquecontribution to business applications in food, and consumerresearch methods. The book is positioned specifically for foods, tomaintain a focus on a coherent set of topics.
Concept Research in Food Product Design and Developmentappeals to a wide variety of audiences: R&D, marketing, sensoryanalysts, and universities alike. Corporate R&D professionalswill learn how to create strong concepts. Marketers will recognizehow concepts are at the heart of their business. Sensory analystswill find the book a natural extension of their interest in productfeatures. University students will understand how concept researchis a critical part of the "consumer-connection."Concept Research in Food Product Design and Development isthe definitive, innovative text in describing how to create,analyze, and capitalize upon new product concepts.