PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION FOR STRATEGIC MANAGERS

Table of Contents 1. Introduction: 3 2. Description of the study 4 2.1 Business Case 4 2.2 Business Case for a New Product 5 2.3 Aakash Tablet as the new product 6 2.4 Features of Aakash tablet 7 2.5 Specifications of Aakash tablet 7 2.6 Current discussion on Aakash tablet 8 2.7 Market competiveness of Aakash Tablet 9 2.8 Cost for development of Aakash Tablet 9 2.9 Resources and components for Aakash Tablet 10 2.10 Marketing Strategies 10 2.11 Success of Aakash Tablet 11 3. Conclusion 11 Reference 12

1. Introduction:
The revolution of products in the computers and phones are moving to every person and also growing in the range, quality and the features according to the needs and wants of the customers. initially the computers were very large in size i.e. the main frame computers, then the need made them smaller and the companies prepared personal computers, now to increase the portability of the computers the lap tops came into picture and then to make them much more comfortable and accessible to the users and hence the aakash tablets is the product which is recently launched and accepted by the maximum of consumers and they are understanding the need of the customers. Thus monitoring the success of the tablets was the motive of the company and the marketers (Kim J. and Wilemon D., 2002). 2. Description of the study 3.1 Business Case
A business case is basically an argument that is holding the basic purpose of convincing the decision maker that approves a certain kind of actions and reaction, which must be documented. Such document is referred as the business case. As per the rule the business case has to adopt such a path that provides an attractive return on investment. A document of the business case is designed and framed to discuss all the benefits and the risk involved with that ensures the quality of taking risk (Smith P. G. and Reinertsen D. G., 1998). And the final conclusion shall be such that it founds out the compelling argument for the purpose of implementation. Within a business case the short term actions are facilitating the immediate actions, measurable and the considerable benefits are easy and simpler in nature. While those associated with the long term actions have to manage the bottom line of the company’s interest (Koen et al., 2001). Those activities which are initially indicating the positive effects may show detrimental effects in the future run. In certain business case the projects are not very clear; neither provides proper documentation and is essential for this approval (Husig and Kohn, 2003). The main objective for the use of business case is to demonstrate the business that is basically needed for the purpose of expansion and for this given action, they confirms that whether the project is feasible or not, also considering the strategic internal and external moves of the project and even assessing, comparing and also contrasting the benefits and the cost relationship (Kim J. and Wilemon D., 2002).

Figure no. 1: Procedure for the Business Case 3.2 Business Case for a New Product
For the development of the new product the business and engineering is one of the simple process where it involves new product development (NPD) that brings up the complete process for the development of the new product and bringing that product from the manufacturing site to the market. A product is basically a compiled as the set of the benefits that is usually offering the exchange which can be either tangible or intangible in nature (Smith P. G. and Reinertsen D. G., 1998). They also offer different process that involves the idea generation which leads to the designing of the product, detailing of the engineering, their also involves the market research and also follows the market analysis (Husig and Kohn, 2003). Some of the companies have shown the new product for the development at the initial stage that involves the generation and commercialization of the new product along with the different strategic process that indicates the situation of the product life cycle, also indicating the usage that maintains and also grow the market share (Koen et al., 2001). The product development is a sequential process that starts with the generation of the idea, then the screening of the idea, also involving the development of the concept and testing, undergoing a business analysis with the beta testing and the market testing, also the technical implementation is necessary for the purpose of the new program initiation, indicating the commercialization which explains the launching of the product and also finally managing the pricing of the new product. In the section of new products pricing the value analysis and the product cost is holding a major breakthrough for both the fixed and variable (Kurup and Saira, 2011).

Figure no. 2: New product development process
Source: atkinson.yorku.ca 3.3 Aakash Tablet as the new product
Aakash tablet is one of an Android based tablet computer which is being produced by the DataWind. And the Aakash is manufactured by an India based Quad, where the production centre is located at Hyderabad. In the trial preparation the aakash tablet was manufactured of around 100,000 units. This product was being officially launched in New Delhi on 5th October 2011. This product is an up graded second generation produc (Ribeiro J., 2011). It is basically a low cost tablet computer with several features as possessing two different universal serial bus ports (David G. U., 2009)

Figure no. 3: Aakash Tablet
Source: plus.google.com 3.4 Features of Aakash tablet
The Aakash tablet is featured with the internet accessibility which can be activated anywhere and holding the cellular connectivity at a very minimum cost of just Rs. 98 per months in India. This device can easily connect with the GPRS or the WFi (Jack and Frank, 2011). GPRS is the one embedded with the modem that eliminates the needs for the external dongles and can also allow the accessibility of the internet everywhere (Ribeiro J., 2011). And WFi allows the user to access the YouTube videos. They can also provide the faster web accessibility also on the GPRS network. one can also access to the Web, Email, Face book and all such facilities, the high quality of the video streaming can be used and the HD quality video playback. They are fledged with the different games, full office suite, some educational software’s and around 150,000 applications. The memory of aakash tablet is expandable to around 32 GB, with the facility to receive and make the video calls. One can also use the ordinary pen drive and even can plug in a 3G dongle (David G. U., 2009). 3.5 Specifications of Aakash tablet
Aakash tablet is featured with an overall size of the nearly 190.5 x 118.5 x 15.7 mm with a 180 millimeters as it is a resistive touch screens. It is weighing around 350 grams or 12 oz and this is also having an operating system of Android 2.2 (David G. U., 2009). the tablet possess the 256 MB RAM with a micro SD slot having a 2 GB Micro SD card, also possess a two USB port. They also have a jack of 3.5 mm for the audio out. They also have an input device with the resistive touch screen and a supported document format for all the versions of office documents, along with the high quality video streaming and the HD quality of video playback. Aakash comes bundled with DataWind's UbiSurfer browser and Nimbuzz app for social networking and instant messaging. For installing other Android apps, the tablet is GetJar enabled but does not support the Android Marketplace. 3.6 Current discussion on Aakash tablet
Aakash table II would be launched recently with the same price but with the added features as being disclosed in Lok Sabha. The revised version of the Aakash tablet is flourished with variant features such as the longer battery life of around three hours and a highly capacitive touch screen. The manufacturer of Aakash tablet is DataWind who probably promised to supply one lakh high-speed tablets (Kurup and Saira, 2011). Earlier it was considered that DataWind is removed from the project but fortunately DataWind is still attached with this project and enjoying the success of datawind. And DataWind was unable to manufacture aakash tablet on a large scale. Hence Due to such reasons IIT Mumbai, C-DAC, ITI Rajasthan and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited have handed over the project and they were handling the production of the tablet on large scale (Aakash Tablet's commercial variant in November", 2011). Thus the aakash tablet II version to be release holds certain Specifications such as Processor which is sophisticated with 700 MHz Cortex A8 processor, it also poses a battery power 3200mAH is being used and consisting of a highly innovative and Capacitive touch screen (Tuli and Singh S., 2012).
The basic motive for the aakash tablets was to target the students pursuing higher technical education and institutions offering technical education that a certain technical feedback and response on its operations and the usability may arise and can be easily understood and worked upon by the manufacturers ($10-laptop proves to be a damp squib, 2009). While different schools were also being in the list to focus for the availing the aakash tablets, and for the execution of this project they have proposed the proposal through ICT to National Mission of Education for Schools to make the availability of necessary funds. Government has taken few initiative steps to sell aakash, initially it was decided that aakash tablet was to be sold to the student at the price of nearly 35 $. Nearly 100 universities were asked to supply the aakash tablets according to their requirements in the colleges of those universities ("BBC News - India launches Aakash tablet computer priced at $35", 2011). 3.7 Market competiveness of Aakash Tablet
After the launch of this aakash tablets by the Government of India, BSNL has launched around 3 new tablets which are focusing to target the entry level segment. With the market competition the Aaksh tablet has strict completion with the Penta TPAD IS701R that is featured as possessing 7 inches of resistive touch screens. This also possess around 1 GHz of processor, 256 MB RAM that can be enhanced its memory capacity up to 32 GB storage with the help of the memory card. It is also facilitating the WiFi, 3G dongle supports and a camera on the front. This tablet was been priced at Rs 3, 499 to stand in the heavy competition with the Aakash tablet. And with the experts opinion the technical specifications states a higher price rather that Aakash tablet that appeals to Aakash fans. the another tablet which is in strict competition with the Aakash is the Penta TPAD WS704C this is basically possessing the 7 inch of capacitive touch screen and also the 1 GHz of processor and the RAM of 512 MB, where the expandable memory up to around 3 GB (Cooper R. G., and Edgett S. J., 2008). They are also facilitating the WiFi, 3G dobgle that are supporting the front and rear cameras. This tablet consists of an added feature of a SIM card slot and this is being priced at around Rs 9,917. The next tablet in competiion is Penta TPAD WS802C. This also possesses an 8 inches capacitive touch screen along with the 1.2 GHz processor. They also consist of around 512 MB RAM which is expandable to nearly 32 GB with the use of memory card. It is supported with WiFi, 3G dongle support, front and rear cameras. It features a SIM card slot and has been priced at Rs 12,678. 3.8 Cost for development of Aakash Tablet
Aakash tablet was being manufactured by an India based company. The device was manufactured at the cost of Rs 1500 or 23 euro, and the half of the associated amount was paid by the government and nearly half is being paid by the institution. The payment was being made by choosing the HCL info system and had been failed to give the evidence that they poses and amount of Rs 600 million in the form of the bank guarantee funds and this fund is required by the Indian government (Kurup and Saira, 2011). The India government favored both the college students and the school going student that they have to pay an amount of just a less than Rs. 1500 for this device as they are providing it on the subsidized cost of around 50 % (Cooper R. G., and Edgett S. J., 2008). For the manufacturing purpose the 35 % of the hardware components are being sourced from the South Korea, around 25 % from the Chine, 16 % from the USA same 16 % from India and least of 8 % from other different countries (Halliday and Josh, 2010). A contest was being launched by the Ubislate as the student who will be providing the best application would be awarded and their application would be installed in the Aakash Tablet. Nearly 5 top application winners were being awarded for it and prize awarded was around Rs 1 lakh each winner. In the development part government of India is releasing the educational videos in the joint holding with IGNOU as being released by the Indian Ministry of Education. They prepared such a content to help the students to make an access the internet and also the first India’s law bidding Online Video Library (Khurana A. and Rosenthal S. R., 1998). 3.9 Resources and components for Aakash Tablet
It is an Indian made product. These products is having many components and also possess nearly 800components and this also includes the variety of the chips, touch panels, plastics, cabling, screen and many more. The 7 inch screen of Aakash tablet has came from South Korea; micro processor has taken from India and also from the other parts of the worlds and even from the China (Kim J. and Wilemon D., 2002). Variety of the components is being brought into the manufacturing unit and they are further being tested, build and also assemble them in the factory. Thus buildings, testing and also assembling of the components are being done at QUAD Electronic Solution at Hyderabad (Husig S., Kohn S. and Poskela, J., 2005). 3.10 Marketing Strategies
Marketing strategies usually varies from one sector of the product to the sector of product or we can also say that it also varies from one quality of product to another quality. As for the instance, the product which is branded and belongs to high quality does not need much promotion rather it is accepted by the consumers by their own will, while the product which is of inferior quality requires a heavy advertising (Kurup and Saira, 2011). The same is the situation with the service or the process. Hence the implementation of the process and services also varies from one to another (Husig S., Kohn S. and Poskela, J., 2005).
Aakash tablet has chosen different market strategy to capture a huge Indian market and facilitating the growth of the product. Even the organization has made a venture with the government of India and the product is made available at the subsidized rate (Ribeiro J., 2011). The Colleges and Schools have made a deal with the government of India and the university. The university of colleges have made a deal that the half a cost of product would be handed by the government of India and also the less the half would be considered by the universities of different colleges (Kim J. and Wilemon D., 2002).

3.11 Success of Aakash Tablet
It is considered that the Aakash tablet would be highly successful due to the availability of its specifications and the networks of representing communications. The 7 inch resistive touch screen is the major indicating feature of the Aakash tablet (Kurup and Saira, 2011). The memory capacity for the tablet was distinctive in nature as around 256 MB of Random Access Memory. Thus the graphics is acting as the accelerator, using the HD video is also distinctive feature. They also indicated the minimal specifications and the features which are distinctive from other tablets (Halliday and Josh, 2010). The main question marks are on the durability and accessibility of the product being launched.
A main reason for the failure of the aakash tablet was the faulty processor with the gadget was not able to perform the multiple tasks and this requires the enough memory that provides the few applications and the graphics. They even possess low memory with the short storage this collectively leads to no entertainment (Husig S., Kohn S. and Poskela, J., 2005). And even they have less capacity for running the video storage. Also the battery is very low just of 2100 mAh. The power back up for the battery is just 180 minutes. Even the internet accessibility is very low and the web browsing and reading goes tough at few situations (Cooper R. G., and Edgett S. J., 2008). Even they possess very poor display that usually reflects the light. Hence they have poor screen resolution and the basic display have no high definition. Even the screen is reflecting the light and also the brightness and the tablet cannot be able to display the matter in the bright conditions. They have manufactured touch screen as resistive but not much resistive. Even the devices heat up quickly especially the processor installed in Tablet (Husig and Kohn, 2003). If the usage extends to 4 hour the device heats up, this report is received from the active users, who made the use of Wi-Fi and the browsing is done for nearly an hour. It does not support to the blue tooth connection and also lack the USB dongle and many other high tech services. Even the product has no application up grade in the market place where they usually lack much application (Kim J. and Wilemon D., 2002). The hardware’s in the system lacks the support up gradation. Also the poor network connectivity in India is the major drawback for understanding the Wi-Fi connectivity in India. Poor connectivity is the major issue for Indians to struggle using such application. Even the device lacks the external speaker’s connection to the devices and so the audio phones are needed which are very costly (Smith P. G. and Reinertsen D. G., 1998). 3. Conclusion
The conclusion part states that the development of the new product, new process or the new service is an indication for the recent researches being carried out Even they have explained the business cases for the new product focusing on the aakash tablet as the recent product. Even the current discussion has made certain approvals and specifications with the Government to make subsidies with the university and offered to the students. The report has also discussed about the market competiveness of the product in comparison with the other products such as Penta TPAD WS802C and Penta TPAD WS704C (Tuli and Singh S., 2012). They also understand the competition with the product with the specifications or the features. Even the product is managing the cost and development with the competitive products. The report also discussed about the cost of the materials their availability of the components being availed and the cost of training and development of the staff is not as such required, due to not many heavy and typical applications. Different marketing strategies were being employed for the implementation of the product for this project (Ribeiro J., 2011). They avail different strategies to be adopted by the company at different country to make their person aware. It is also supported by creating a retail price variation in the general public and the student. Lastly the report discussed the success story of the aakash tablets with the market people and the users enjoying its availability (Kim J. and Wilemon D., 2002).
Reference
* "BBC News - India launches Aakash tablet computer priced at $35", 2011, Bbc.co.uk. * "World's Cheapest Tablet – Aakash sold out", 2011, Retrieved 19 December 2011. * $10-laptop proves to be a damp squib, 2009, The Times of India, February 4, 2009 * Aakash Tablet's commercial variant in November", 2011, Hindustan Times. Retrieved 30 December 2011. * Cooper R. G., and Edgett S. J., 2008, Maximizing productivity in product innovation, in: Research Technology Management, March 1, 2008 * David G. U., 2009, The Mechanical Design Process, Mc Graw-Hill, 4th edition * Halliday and Josh, 2010, "India unveils cheapest laptop".The Guardian (London) * Husig and Kohn, 2003, Factors influencing the Front End of the Innovation Process: A comprehensive Review of Selected empirical NPD and explorative FFE Studies , Brusell, Juni, p.14. * Husig S., Kohn S. and Poskela, J., 2005, "The Role of Process Formalisation in the early Phases of the Innovation Process", 12th Int. Prod Development Conf. Copenhagen * Jack and Frank, 2011, "India launches "world's cheapest" tablet". Vancouversun.com. Retrieved 2011-10-05 * Karl T. U. and Eppinger, Steven D., 2004, Product Design and Development, 3rd Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2004 * Khurana A. and Rosenthal S. R., 1998, "Towards Holistic "Front Ends" in New Product Development", Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 15 (1), pp 57–75. * Kim J. and Wilemon D., 2002, Sources and assessment of complexity in NPD projects, R&D Management, 33 (1), pp. 16-30 * Kim J. and Wilemon D., 2002, Accelerating the Front End Phase in New Product Development * Koen and Peter A., 2004, "The Fuzzy Front End for Incremental, Platform, and Breakthrough Products", PDMA Handbook of New Product Development, 2nd Ed.: 81–9 * Koen et al., 2001, Providing clarity and a common language to the ‘fuzzy front end’. Research Technology Management, 44 (2), pp.46-55 * Kurup and Saira, 2011, "We want to target the billion Indians who are cut off'". Times of India * Ribeiro J., 2011, "India's low-cost tablet is made by Canada's DataWind". Computerworld. Retrieved 2011-10-05 * Smith P. G. and Reinertsen D. G., 1998, Developing Products in Half the Time, 2nd Edition, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1998. * Tuli and Singh S., 2012, "UbiSlate 7+".http://www.ubislate.com. DataWind Ltd. * Ubislate official website, 2011, Retrieved 31 December 2011