Knowledge Acquisition in Product Planning of Frugal Manufacturing Systems for Emerging Markets

In emerging markets, the number of consumers is growing rapidly and, thus, also the local production of goods. A new promising but nearly inaccessible market is emerging for producers of manufacturing systems. However, many producers of manufacturing systems do not have the knowledge about the emerging markets yet. So far, they struggle with the realization of suitable products. Increasing the market share in emerging markets requires specific products that are affordable and especially adapted to local needs. The producers of manufacturing systems must, therefore, follow new approaches and need appropriate processes. The strategic approach frugal can support the orientation but specific development tools are missing. For the development of a suitable approach, common methods are examined and evaluated according to necessary requirements. Using the results of the evaluation and the strategy frugal a systematic approach is developed to check and expand knowledge in companies in relation to the criteria of frugal products. This enables target-oriented product planning. The approach is shown in a use case.