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Unit 2: Product and Service Design

the 50 United States. The Uniform Commercial Code also seeks to make commercial Notes
paper transactions, such as the processing of checks, less complex. It distinguishes between
merchants, who know their business well, and consumers, who do not. Overall, the code's
objective is to eliminate the need for lawyers in the aspects of commercial trade it governs.
The main environmental issues are:

Environment Protection Act has been enacted to provide for the protection and improvement of
environment and for matters connected therewith.

Whereas the decisions were taken at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment
held at Stockholm in June, 1972, in which India participated, to take appropriate steps for the
protection and improvement of human environment; And Whereas it is considered necessary
further to implement the decisions aforesaid in so far as they relate to the protection and
improvement of environment and the prevention of hazards to human beings, other living
creatures, plants and property. Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Central Government
shall have the power to take all such measures as it deems necessary or expedient for the
purpose of protecting and improving the quality of the environment and preventing controlling
and abating environmental pollution. Where any offence under this Act has been committed by
a company, every person who, at the time the offence was committed, was directly in charge of,
and was responsible to, the company for the conduct of the business of the company, as well as
the company, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded
against and punished accordingly:
Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any such person liable to any
punishment provided in this Act, if he proves that the offence was committed without his
knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.

2.3 Lifecycles

2.3.1 Product Lifecycles

The product lifecycle model is a simple representation of the cumulative impact of changes in
the business environment on the life of a manufactured product. It is an important management
tool to understand the product and its finite lifespan and develop the understanding of the
situation so that strategies for survival and growth can be effectively advanced.

A product category goes through four stages of development.

Stage 1: Product Introduction Stage

During this stage, the product is new to the market and the consumers have to be motivated to
try and accept the product. This is a stage when the product volumes are low and profit is
normally down.

Stage 2: Growth Stage

As the product finds market acceptance, it goes into the growth stage. During this period, there
is an exponential growth of the volumes accepted by the market. New competitive products are
introduced and there is a significant change in the product features due to continuous
improvements.

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