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Herstatt, Cornelius; Kohlbacher, Florian; Bauer, Patrick
Working Paper
"Silver" product design: Product innovation for older
people
Working Papers / Technologie- und Innovationsmanagement, Technische Universität
Hamburg-Harburg, No. 65
Provided in Cooperation with:
Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and
Innovation Management
Suggested Citation: Herstatt, Cornelius; Kohlbacher, Florian; Bauer, Patrick (2011) : "Silver"
product design: Product innovation for older people, Working Papers / Technologie- und
Innovationsmanagement, Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, No. 65
This Version is available at:
http://hdl.handle.net/10419/55508
Technologie- und
Innovationsmanagement
W o r k i n g P a p e r / A r b e i t s p a p i e r
Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg
Schwarzenbergstr. 95, D-21073 Hamburg-Harburg
Tel.: +49 (0)40 42878-3777; Fax: +49 (0)40 42878-2867
www.tu-harburg.de/tim
“Silver” product desi
gn – product innovation for older
people
Prof. Dr. Cornelius Herstatt
Dr. Florian Kohlbacher
Dipl.-Kfm. Patrick Bauer
September 2011
Working paper No. 65
Working paper No. 65 Herstatt/ Kohlbacher/Bauer
- 2 -
“Silver” product design – product innovation for older people
Abstract Aging populations challenge companies across different countries and industries
to respond to the changing needs, demands and expectations of their growing shares of older
customers. This opens room for improving or developing innovations – products as well as
services – that correspond to the diverse expectations. New product development for older
customers or “Silver” product design is one way to approach the “silver” market - without
explicitly excluding younger customers. Research in this field is still in its infancy. Silver
product design focuses on individual autonomy, representing an elementary aspect of good
life, disappearing in a more or less continuous manner over the life cycle of a human being.
Offering solutions that will allow people to maintain or recover autonomy and to use products
and services in an independent manner therefore seems to be a promising avenue for
companies innovating across different industries. The general concept of autonomy can be
perceived as a boundary-spanning argument and a common denominator for starting
development initiatives leading to innovations targeting the silver market. Cross-case analysis
based on four different product innovations addressing typical needs of older people are used
to present how firms in different industrial contexts and user-settings address such needs,
which have their roots in a need to stay autonomous and independent. Technological,
marketing and strategy-related observations as well as communalities and differences of the
cases are being discussed and very first implications for managing the front end of silver
product development sketched.
Keywords: Demographic change, aging, older users, silver market, innovation management,
silver product design, individual autonomy
Working paper No. 65 Herstatt/ Kohlbacher/Bauer
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Introduction
Today, aging and shrinking populations can be seen in almost all industrial nations, and are
understood as one of the most challenging global trends (Coulmas and Lützeler 2011).
Globally, the number of persons aged 60 or over is expected almost to triple, increasing from
737 million in 2009 to 2 billion by 2050. In developed countries as a whole, the number of
older persons has already surpassed the number of children (persons under age 15), and by
2050 the number of older persons will be more than twice the number of children. Further this
trend also affects countries of the developing world (Figure 1). In developing countries as a
whole, even though just 8% of the population is today aged 60 years or over, this share will
more than double by 20 50, reaching 20% that year. This structural change will have strong
effects on society and the economy. On the micro-level, for example, companies need to
understand and adjust to changing needs of both older customers and older employees.
(Kohlbacher, Gudorf, and Herstatt 2010; Kohlbacher and Herstatt 2011)
Figure 1: Population aging is a global trend
A growing share of older customers and employees bear risks but also opportunities for
firms, institutions and the economy overall (Kohlbacher and Herstatt 2011). Risks include
potential labor shortages, loss of knowledge and a shrinking customer base; opportunities
comprise chances to explore and benefit from emerging markets, such as the so-called growth
market ”aging” or “silver” market (Kohlbacher 2011).
This paper addresses the challenges and opportunities that a growing share of older
customers brings for innovation management and new product development. We present case
studies of firms in different settings who systematically explore opportunities to develop
innovations for seniors. We use an explanatory multiple case study approach, and present
different B2C “silver” innovations. Although different with regard to markets, customers and
solutions, in all cases presented, a particular need turned out to be the starting point: We
observed autonomy – the capacity of a person to freely decide and run his or her own life as
Working paper No. 65 Herstatt/ Kohlbacher/Bauer
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independent as possible – to be core, and the most important, common denominator of all
these projects.
Older customers and innovation: The “silver” market
Despite their growing share, many of today's products and services are not designed to the
needs of old people (Gassmann and Reepmeyer 2006; Lunsford and Burnett 1992) and the
product development and technology/innovation management literature is still surprisingly
silent on this topic. While first useful practical recommendations exist in the work on
transgenerational design (Pirkl 2011), universal design (Gassmann and Reepmeyer 2011), and
design for inclusivity (Coleman, Lebbon, and Myerson 2003), dedicated research on new
product development for older people is still lacking.
People change over time (while growing old), and so do e xpectations, possibilities, and
needs (Fisk et al. 2009). Firms consequently have to adapt to these changes by de veloping
products and services that optimally respond to them (cf. e.g., Kohlbacher and Hang 2011;
Kohlbacher and Herstatt 2009). As there are large differences within different segments of
senior users to be expected (Niemela-Nyrhinen 2007; Wang et al. 2011), serving the silver
market as a whole with standardized solutions seems to be almost infeasible. Aging is a
multidimensional process (e.g., Bengtson, Gans, and Putney 2008; Moschis 1996), and
customer needs diverge with age, leading to highly heterogeneous distributions of consumer
preferences (e.g., Moschis 1994). Companies who want to leverage the business potential of
older customers – the silver market – consequently need to account for the specific, but also
very heterogeneous, needs and capabilities of this clientele. In this regard the silver market is
not to be understood as one “big”, homogeneous market on its own but rather a conglomerate
of many (sub-) markets – partly – overlapping existing ones.
Submarkets are characterized by individual needs of people above a certain age which in
itself vary significantly. The age-line for definitions of the silver market and its many other
names (“mature”, “grey”, “senior”, “golden age” etc.) has been drawn in the past somewhere
between 50 a nd 65 ( Laukkanen et al. 2007). Depending on t he submarket and the specific
characteristics that define it (e.g. age-based viewing, hearing and reaction time constraints)
this line may be drawn more towards the bottom or the top of this spectrum.
But is there an overarching characteristic that all submarkets may have in common –
despite their vast differences and nuances? We propose autonomy, or more precisely
regaining lost autonomy and preventing future losses of it, as one common, important
characteristic. Physical and psychological aging typically leads to loosing autonomy due to
conditions such as constricted viewing, loss of hearing or decline in working memory (Fisk et
al. 2009). Becoming dependent on others is the frequent consequence of such physical and
psychological handicaps. We argue that most people strive to prevent this and do not want to
become (overly) dependent on others.
Physical and mental restrictions are not limited to older people, of course, but typically
affect people when getting old. Indeed the desire for keeping up a minimum level of personal
autonomy seems to be a need shared by many if not most of all older people (Ford et al.
2000).
Working paper No. 65 Herstatt/ Kohlbacher/Bauer
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The concept of autonomy and its relevance for “silver” product design
Autonomy, which originated from the Greek “autonoma” (auto stands for self, nomos
means law), can be defined as the capacity of a person to freely decide and run his or her own
life as independently as possible (cf. Randers and Mattiasson 2003). As said before, typically
with growing age, the functional and mental capabilities of humans begin to decline and by
this their individual autonomy is reduced.
The negative side-effects of aging go ha nd in hand with becoming more and more
dependent, since at some point in their life older people cannot perform tasks they used to do
in their daily living (Raina, Massfeller, and Wong 2004). Decreasing sensory abilities
complicate the use of products, e.g., opening of bottles, reading displays; lower cognitive
capabilities inhibit the fast consumption and processing of data, e.g., comprehension of
speech, using interfaces (Fisk et al. 2009).
Autonomy-enhancing solutions – improved or totally new products and services addressing
this need for autonomy – can help to fill the perceived gap between a low(er) and a desired
state of autonomy, at least for some time. An extreme but not rare example is people who
cannot any longer feed themselves (because of muscle amyotrophic, for example). Being
dependant on others to eat is a very incriminating, stigmatizing phenomenon. Not being
capable to participate any longer in dinners with family or friends is another very unpleasant
effect, which may lead to social isolation. An on-demand feeding machine like “My Spoon”
developed and manufactured by the Japanese Secom Group, delivers a solution to respond to
such issues.
Providing solutions to alleviate the loss of, or to restore, autonomy may also catch the
attention of younger consumers, since they exhibit higher degrees of aging anxiety and fear
dependence more than those who are already older (Lynch 2000). The other, practically very
relevant case is younger people who feel responsible for their older parents or friends and
who take a closer look at such solutions. They often play an advising and consulting role to
the users of such solutions or may even directly purchase these solutions for them.
Case studies: Silver product design in different industries
The four following case studies exemplify how companies can develop innovative solutions
to help older consumers maintain, enhance and/or regain their autonomy. These cases stem
from Germany, Austria and Japan, three rapidly aging countries, and cover different
industries.
Our first case is a recent development project in the area of tissue strengthening implants by
Johnson and Johnson Medical (Germany), where the starting question was to what extent
existing products of a certain business unit were affected by an increasing number of older
customers. During the course of the project, the focus moved to the field of weakening tissue
structures and the resulting risk of incontinence in higher age. Incontinence is confirmed to be
a severe problem for millions of older people, which heavily affects autonomy of these
individuals. This was the starting point for developing a product concept that was based on
their exiting mesh technology and aims at tightening the ureter when pressure in the
abdominal area increases.
Working paper No. 65 Herstatt/ Kohlbacher/Bauer
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The second case describes development work by E mporia (Austria) in connection with
communication devices for older people. Over a number of years, Emporia has been
developing mobile phones for senior users. As seniors are often not used to fancy design and
complicated menu navigation, they are dependent on the help of others in order to use a
mobile phone. Emporia has recognized this need and develops solutions with designs that
focus on hi gh usability and flattened functionalities adapted to the physical and mental
capabilities of older people. To deliver these functionalities, Emporia´s R&D heavily interacts
with typical users, testing each development step with silver customers.
The third case describes the product development of an age-friendly notebook by a leading
consumer electronics firm in Japan, Fujitsu. The “Raku Raku notebook” (raku = easy) is a PC
for silver customers which draws from the product concept of the “Raku Raku Phone,” which
was a huge success in Japan and won seniors with easy-to-use interface and less complex
functions. In November 2008, Fujitsu came out with the “Raku Raku PC,” targeted at silver
beginners. Two models are available, a desktop and a laptop version. Both are equipped with
an easy-to-use keyboard, mouse and menu, using touch-screen technology, so that older
people using a PC for the first time can easily understand it. The letters and icons of the menu
are 25% larger than on the usual ones. The most often used and vowel keys are marked by
colors and function keys such as the space key have the Japanese function written on them.
When turning the Raku Raku PC on, the menu shows the most important programs such as e-
mail or internet. In addition, Fujitsu offers a home installation service and the Raku Raku PC
Help Line, a customer support, which is free for the first year of product usage (Kohlbacher
and Hang 2011; Kohlbacher and Hideg 2011).
Our fourth and last case presented here, is the Robot Suit HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb),
which has been developed by U niversity of Tsukuba Professor Sankai. This device helps
handicapped and older people to move their limbs as well as workers to carry heavy weights
by wearing an “exoskeleton” type robotic suit. HAL enhances and strengthens the limb
motion of human bodies by detecting the weak bioelectrical signal through the body from the
brain which generates the nerve signal to control the musculoskeletal system. The system of
HAL captures nerve signals via m otoneuron through a sensor attached on the skin of the
wearer. Based on the signals obtained, the power unit is controlled to move the joint in sync
with the wearer’s muscle movement, enabling to support the wearer’s daily activities. The
product was launched onto the market in 2009 by t he university spin-off Cyberdyne
Corporation, with seed money from a major Japanese corporation, Daiwa House (Kohlbacher
and Hang 2011). Table 1 summarizes the important findings from the case studies.
Working paper No. 65 Herstatt/ Kohlbacher/Bauer
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Table 1 Cases based on an autonomy-enhancing effect
Case
Johnson &
Johnson Medical
Emporia
Fujitsu
Hal Robot Suit
Product Urogenital
implants
Cell phone PC/notebook Robot Suit
Customer focus/
autonomy
restraining factor
Customer has to
use incontinence
products such as
pads or diapers
Customer has
problems with
regular phone
menu navigation
and
comprehending
the interface
Customer has
problems with
regular PC menu
navigation and
comprehending
the interface
Customer has
problems in
moving his/ her
limbs and/or
lifting heavy
objects
Autonomy-
enhancing effect
(examples)
Customer regains
continence can
move freely, and
does not feel
stigmatized
Phone can be
used by the
senior directly
without help
from others, by
simple interface.
In addition,
phone allows
seniors to stay in
contact with
family and
friends and avoid
isolation
Using the PC
supports older
people in staying
connected with
and using
services and
functions being
offered via
Internet. Remote
service supports
senior user when
problems occur
User can lift
heavy objects,
and muscles are
supported while
moving
Product
innovation
New
Adapted
Adapted
New
Technological
newness
Existing
technology base
transferred
Existing
technology base
transferred,
combined with
partly new
technology (e.g.,
noise control)
Existing
technology base
transferred
New technology
(e.g., sensory,
triggers, etc.)
Case comparison: The relevance and dimensioning of autonomy
Comparing the four cases presented here, we find both common factors and differences in
terms of how autonomy is implemented both from the technical as w ell as t he marketing
perspective. On the technological side, one has to generally differentiate between technology
and functionality and their corresponding complexities. Whereas “a function is an attribute to
the product, substantive technology is the knowledge by which the product is created” (Kogut
and Zander 1992). In our cases, the degree of technological newness included to provide
solutions can be regarded as varying from relatively low-tech to high-tech. One example
draws on technologies that are well-understood and have been implemented before in
combination with other products (J&J); others include new technologies which have been
developed partly for other applications first (Emporia and Fujitsu) and then transferred. In one
case, the technology has been proprietarily developed (i.e., the Hal-suit). Furthermore we
observe that in addition to the different levels of technological newness and complexity, the
product offerings also differ in the functional complexity they exhibit from the perspective of
the user. In some cases this functional complexity is lower than in comparable products
offered to the “mainstream market,” due to fewer usage options being provided (Emporia and
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Fujitsu). In one case ( Hal-suit), totally new functions are being offered, which have never
been combined in a product before. Again, in another case functionality remains untouched,
but is offered to a new target group corresponding to their needs (J&J).
With regard to market research as a first, essential activity in new product development, all
projects were based on a common ground: it is important to empathize with silver customers
(cf. Coleman, Lebbon, and Myerson 2003; McDonagh 2008), who are on the verge of losing
their autonomy, and take their (latent) needs into consideration. However, we found
differences in the cases in terms of the approach towards market research methodology. If
minor cognitive or psychological restrictions are the cause for decreasing autonomy, direct
qualitative market research such as interviewing the silver customer is still possible and
promising; with lowered mental and sensual abilities, ethnography and observations are more
promising, because the observer will gain a first-hand understanding of the use context, while
this knowledge can very likely not be elaborated by the persons in focus. If physical
constraints affect the independence of older customers, indirect techniques such as using an
age simulation suit (cf. Cardoso and Clarkson 2007) or integrating medical experts may be an
alternative to more complex, direct methods. However, these decisions are not either–or
choices, and each approach should be complemented by other methods for validation (multi-
method approach).
Although very different in nature, we find the need for autonomy to be the overarching
theme of our cases. Yet there are two distinct, implicational aspects of autonomy-enhancing
products. The first, direct effect is connected to the use of the product itself: products need to
be engineered in a way that they can be used independently, i.e., without help from others.
This requirement is closely connected with questions of usability and product design.
Emporia’s phone and Fujitsu’s Raku Raku products are prime examples whose success is
based mainly on this type of autonomy-enhancement. The second aspect reaches further, and
is related to a more comprehensive perspective that takes the product functions, product envi-
ronment and related services into account: products should help users to keep their autonomy
as long as possible. Products meeting this requirement enable seniors to maintain their
mobility, freedom of choice and social participation. As opposed to the first aspect of
autonomy, which helps seniors to use products independently, the second layer supports silver
customers directly in maintaining and sustaining their autonomy and living their life (more)
independently from other aiders or supporters. They increase quality of life, e.g., by allowing
them to continue to live in their own homes instead of having to move into a nursing home
("aging-in-place" Chapin and Dobbs-Kepper 2001). While the first effect seems to be the case
with Emporia’s and Fujitsu’s phones and PCs –, the J&J implants and HAL suit examples
better fit with the second autonomy-enhancing effect.
Further, it is important to note that the products of our case-examples here are not
exclusively restricted to the use by older people only. The J&J product, for example, was
originally developed for younger women suffering from lowering of the uterus, causing
incontinence. In this respect, products often simultaneously offer value for users who are
restricted in their senses, cognition, or movement control, or prefer easy-to-use products
without “being old”. Another case in point here is the Raku Raku Phone: originally developed
for older people, this cell phone with enhanced usability and universal design features did not
only appeal to older consumers. This led to the development of new versions targeting a much
broader group including young and old users (Kohlbacher and Hideg 2011). Further, the HAL
robot suit example has many potential applications beyond the use by older people, e.g.
Working paper No. 65 Herstatt/ Kohlbacher/Bauer
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supporting workers in lifting heavy items or allowing nurses to lift and move immobile
patients. Also, it might be employed for rehabilitation of patients with mobility defects or
even for entertainment purposes. This effect can be observed from both our own case studies
as well as from other examples of silver products: Many of them are positioned as solutions
responding to specific autonomy needs of older people but not senior products per se since
they attract attention from people in very different life stages.
Implications for managing the front end of innovation of silver product
design
In the cases reported here we could repeatedly observe certain process-related activities as
well as responses to certain issues at the front end of product design. Based on this and as a
first conclusion we suggest three fields of tasks to focus on at the front end of developing
silver products. (See Table 2)
Table 2: Innovation management has to account for key silver market specifics
Aspects Key questions
Silver market specifics
1. Target group
definition
Who will be the user of the product?
Often professional care givers or family members will be the
ones actually using a product to support a senior.
If the user of a product is a senior with mental or physical
constraints, the product (user interface) design needs to
acknowledge this.
Who will make the buying decision for the
product?
Silver innovations are often not bought by the senior users or
care receivers themselves, but by institutional procurement or
younger family members.
2. Newness and
modularity of
technology and
product
Is the innovation corresponding to a
completely new or an adapted existing
solution?
Especially senior users can have a hard time handling entirely
new products. Adapted products already in use by these persons
can thus increase acceptance and effectiveness of use.
Is the innovation modular enough to offer
platform potential?
As users age, their preferences and needs change. A product
platform that allows functionalities to be adopted over the life
course of its users bears immense potential, as they will not have
to switch to new products in later life but rather adopt stepwise
to added functionality
3. Degree of
autonomy-
enhancement
Is the innovation targeted at supporting the
independent use of a product?
In this case, the user of the product will always be someone with
certain mental and/or physical constraints. The design of the
product therefore needs to allow operability within these
constraints (which need to be precisely identified first).
Does the innovation provide a product that
deliberately supports autonomy itself?
If the target user group of the product includes supported
seniors, the same design principles apply.
If the target user group is limited to caregivers, such design
principles are not required but easy-to-use functionality might
still be beneficial.
In either case, the perception of senior users or care receivers
might be that autonomy-enhancing products and/or attached
services are actually cutting down on their autonomy (delegation
of control to machines or caregivers). This should be avoided as
far as possible through product design.
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1. Target group definition
For all innovations, a diligent clarification of potential target groups is critical for both
market research as basis of product development and later on for all marketing activities. For
silver market innovations, this clarification is especially critical. In the B2B, as well as in the
B2C area, the user of a product is not necessarily a senior end-user. The person operating a
certain product can often be a relative or other caregiver, in support of an older care receiver.
This might be the case either in their private surroundings or in a professional institution.
Obviously, this strongly differentiates the required specifications of the product from one that
is used directly by an older end-user with limited physical or mental capabilities.
Clarification of the target user group of a product and its requirements alone however,
does not provide sufficient information for the early stages of product development. The
buying decision
for a product in the silver market is often situated elsewhere and can as well
influence the optimal specifications of a product from a marketing point of view. This can, for
example, change the requirements regarding price, life-time and warranty or look-and-feel
from what they would be if the target user of the product made the buying decision by himself
or alone. In the B2B world, often the user of a product might have only limited say in the
buying decisions of his employer and in the B2C world relatives are often the ones looking
for innovative products to support their older relatives.
2. Newness and modularity of technology and product
When it comes to assessing the user acceptance and long-term customer retention
potential but also profitability of a silver innovation, the newness of a product and the
technology it uses, as well as its modularity – or platform potential – become key areas of
attention.
While the average user will typically not be much concerned with the newness of the
technology underlying a product, this can be quite different with the newness of the product
functionalities. Especially older users often have trouble with the navigation of new product
functionalities. This may influence their acceptance of a new product negatively. Therefore, a
general tendency for higher user acceptance can be expected for product innovations based on
existing products and product functionalities, compared with entirely new products and
functionalities.
As discussed, when users get old, their requirements regarding product functionalities
change and users are well aware of that, even before it happens (Lynch 2000). At the same
time, learning how to use new products - which might be required due to new capability
constraints - can pose a challenge for older users. Therefore, a silver product innovation
which is based on an existing product platform or which creates such a modular platform has
great potential to retain customer loyalty, as it allows product functionalities to be gradually
adapted follow changing needs and capabilities to use of older users. (Orlov 2011)
In addition to this, developing a product innovation based on an adapted existing product
or technology can bear significant synergy potential, positively influencing the profitability of
the endeavor. This can be a strong guiding factor in looking for new and prioritizing potential
innovation projects as we have seen from our examples.
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3. Degree of autonomy-enhancement
The degree of autonomy-enhancement provided is a key determinant of a silver product’s
attractiveness. The larger the potential autonomy gain, the more potential users will be willing
to invest both financially and in terms of learning effort or frustration tolerance regarding
acceptance of the product. As autonomy-enhancement is continuous and of very
heterogeneous nature, a general classification scheme of the level of autonomy-enhancement
would probably be arbitrary and impracticable. However, the two identified types of
autonomy-enhancement need to be differentiated.
To recap, while the first type of autonomy-enhancement relates to innovations which support
or (re-)enable the use of any product (deliberately autonomy-enhancing itself or not), e.g.
through design targeted at easier operability, the second type of autonomy-enhancement
describes products that deliberately aim directly at specific autonomy-enhancements, e.g.
regaining the ability to walk around unassisted. It should be noted that the two described types
of autonomy-enhancement are not mutually exclusive. Rather, a product that directly supports
autonomy in a certain area might as w ell include specific easy-to-use functionality. This is
actually a key prerequisite if that product is to be used by older or otherwise restricted users to
increase their autonomy. For a caregiver using such a product to support a care receiver this
might not be required, but a clearly designed and easy to use product could be very well
appreciated by him or her as well.
Also, it is important to notice that when care receivers are involved, new products and
related services can lead to a situation where the senior individually does not experience them
as contributors to their autonomy, but quite the opposite. Take as an example the
aforementioned surveillance service installed into the home, where caregivers or family can
check on a senior affected by de mentia. Especially if the need for support– and the more
severe consequences a condition would have without the product – is not obvious to the
senior in the first place, this can feel to him or her as cutting down on their autonomy, rather
than increasing it. It can be expected that this emotional perception of a decrease in autonomy
can also be triggered by a product alone, even if it is not tied to a service involving caregivers.
Especially when seniors have not had prior experience with high-tech solutions, the
delegation of control from themselves to a "machine" can feel unpleasant and decrease their
acceptance of the product. This needs to be carefully considered already in the design of such
products and services.
Conclusion
We have shown that one way to approach the silver market without explicitly excluding
younger customers is to focus on autonomy, representing a good life, disappearing in a more
or less continuous manner over the life cycle of a human being. Offering solutions that will
allow people to maintain or recover autonomy and to use products and services in an
independent manner therefore seems to be a promising avenue for innovating companies
across industries. The general concept of autonomy can be perceived as a boundary-spanning
argument and a common denominator for starting development initiatives leading to
innovations targeting the silver market. The concept has to be operationalized in combination
with the application, of course – which calls for more research to be done.
Actual and potential applications are immense, and comprise a large variety of products
and services in a myriad of contexts, industries and user-settings. Taking the needs and wants
of older consumers seriously, and developing new products and services that cater to their
Working paper No. 65 Herstatt/ Kohlbacher/Bauer
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demands, not only offers attractive profit opportunities in a time of shrinking youth segments,
but additionally benefits older people and increase their consumer welfare. At the same time,
it can attract the attention of younger customers looking for products and designs which are
less complex to use by means of rearranged or decreased functionality. Therefore a firm can
profit from signaling its preparedness to respond to gradually diminishing autonomy, which
seems to be unpreventable for all of us. Further it can attract attention of younger customers
who support older family members or friends with physical or mental issues, limiting their
individual autonomy
New product development for older customers is still in its infancy. We hope to have
helped raise the awareness of this topic among academic scholars and practitioners and to
have set the path that may trigger further research in an area that is likely to dominate the
development of markets and economies around the globe for the rest of this century.
Working paper No. 65 Herstatt/ Kohlbacher/Bauer
- 13 -
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