International Journal of Business and Social Science

ISSN 2219-1933 (Print), 2219-6021 (Online) DOI: 10.30845/ijbss

“Kohler Innovate the Consumer Way: Because Hands are made For Love”
Ruchi Pathak, Meghna Sharma

Abstract
Every business revolves around consumers. And to deal with this since last few decades numerous organizations are changing the way they think and are dealing with discerning consumers. Consumers look for benefits in any product, advanced products and an amalgamation of technology and design. Exposure to globalization is for sure leading change in what consumers want. For example from 1939 to present GE survived with their innovations and continuously improved products. This should be the strategic focus of the organizations as we know that as and when a product comes down, penetration goes up by the competitors and the companies which don’t get the right change close down. Here main catch is Innovation, companies and innovations within rather. Lots of brands are available for the same product in the market. So when we talk about retaining consumer and product sustainability plan, Innovation comes, and it can come from consumer insight only. This case is developed after the in-depth analysis of Kohler India dealing in bathroom products. This case speaks about the journey of bathroom culture from using bucket and tumblers to health faucets to Bidet seats. It’s a case on journey of Kohler and how have they become market leaders for their bidet seats in India through their consumer led innovations. This case is covering two broad areas 1. Focus on changing business market and 2. Focus on customers, which are explained through a proposed model with 9 subthemes inside. Through this case authors have studied Kohler’s strategy with respect to consumer led innovations. The objective of this case study was to do SWOT analysis of Kohler and through analysis authors have detailed further implication too. The goal was to propose a model for companies planning to adopt consumer led innovations and how they can succeed in this process. Through this whole case readers will be able to understand how the bathroom culture has changed and how important it is to be hygienic and use hands to make love rather than doing gross things.

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