Managing Imitation Strategies: How Later Entrants Seize Markets from Pioneers

In this superb study, Schnaars, who heads the marketing deparment at Baruch College in New York City, discusses the advantages enjoyed by product imitators. ``Imitation is not only more abundant than innovation,'' he claims, ``it is actualy a much more prevalent road to business growth and profits.'' Product and service pioneers, he says, often self-destruct, are replaced by larger fims and stumble when competing with innovative strategies (e.g., lower prices and better products). Documented with 28 case studies (including one on the paperback book industry), Schnaars's analyses of imitation ``winners'' (e.g., WordPerfect) and ``losers'' (Atari) is likely to influence marketers. (Sept.)