...The president of BBC design group, Emil Vicale, had built a successful business using rapid prototyping technology to build wax or plastic models of his clients’ designs. However, this technology would also prove to be innovative in another endeavor, the action-figure doll. Vicale had used this technology for personal enjoyment by creating dolls resembling heroes of September 11, 2001. The stir the dolls on his desk created had inspired Vicale to look further into the possibility of expanding his recently purchased e-commerce toy company. The following information will provide insight into the research that was done to create a successful action-figure business by HeroBuilders.com. However, additional research could have been done to prepare for unexpected media attention and to create new products that would meet customer needs. Background Review Shortly after September 11, 2001, Vicale finalized the purchase of ToyBuilders.com, an e-commerce toy company. This created an opportunity for using rapid prototyping technology to build dolls. Vicale had realized the potential for success after observing the interest his friends and family expressed for the personal heroes he had on his desk. It was then necessary for Vicale to investigate the potential for profitability in the action-figure business. Vicale researched the companies already in the field, and also the retail environment for the dolls. His research sparked his interest further, and he believed creating...
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...HeroBuilders.Com Case Study Greta B. Sorvik College of St. Scholastica March 24, 2014 HeroBuilders.Com Case Study This case assignment will analyze HeroBuilders.com’s research study. Emil Vicale created a super hero action figure, and with interest expanded his prototype into a global business. This essay will describe the research performed, while applying MGMT 6431 course concepts. Type of Study The HeroBuilders.com case study is closest related to an example of an explanatory research study. Emil Vicale formed a theory based on the forces that caused a certain phenomenon to occur (Cooper & Schindler, 2014). Mr. Vicale detected the need of personalized action figures based on individual requests after friends and acquaintances saw his personal collection. To determine viability of the action figure business, research was started by searching the internet for viability of the action figure business. It was determined there were dozens of companies worldwide, and Hasbro would be the biggest competitor. He also concluded that action figures take up most of the space in the toy aisle. The research was done to justify the phenomenon of personalized action figures and to determine the feasibility in the industry. The explanatory study was conducted to answer the “why and how questions” (Cooper & Schindler, 2014, p. 22). Research The research was not clearly defined; the product was created prior to conducting an industry needs analysis, it was not until the product...
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...>cases HeroBuilders.com >Abstract Emil Vicale, president of BBC (BBC) Design Group, used rapid prototyping technology (RPT) to build wax or plastic three-dimensional prototypes of his clients’ designs. But this same technology can be used to custom manufacture dolls. Shortly after September 11, 2001, Vicale Corporation, BBC’s parent company, purchased an e-commerce toy company. Vicale’s first action figure was made to honor the heroes who emerged from that event. Using RPT, he crafted a doll with the head of George W. Bush and the body of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Other figures followed. This case is about a design firm that used exploratory research to define a niche in the action-figure business. www.herobuilders.com >The Scenario Emil Vicale, president of HeroBuilders.com Corporation, thinks entrepreneurial. His industrial design company, BBC Design Group, has been operating for more than 20 years. One cornerstone of his design business is an innovative technology called rapid prototyping (RPT). RPT allows a designer to go from 3-D computer model to 3-D plastic or wax prototype in a matter of hours rather than the days, weeks, or months that prototypes using subtraction technology (carving) from wood, metal, or clay might take. As part of a growth strategy implemented shortly after September 11, 2001, Vicale finalized the purchase of an e-commerce toy company, ToyBuilders.com. This was his first venture into the manufacture of toys, although his design firm had done developmental...
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