
109Variations and Enterprise Excellence
TABLE 5.1
Characteristic Product Cycle Times by Industry
Description
Life Cycle
(Years)
Development
Cycle (Years)
Financial services 0.2 0.2
Silicon foundries 0.5 0.5
Retailing, entertainment 1.0 1.0
Fashion and textiles 1.5 1.5
Software 2.0 2.0
Electronics 2.5 2.5
Computers 3.0 3.0
Medical and dental 3.5 3.5
Automobiles 4.0 4.0
Metal products 4.5 4.5
Photographic 5.0 5.0
Chemicals, paper 6.0 6.0
Publishing 7.0 2.0
Aircraft 7.0 7.0
Biotechnology 8.0 3.0
Pharmaceuticals 10.0 10.0
Mining 11.0 6.0
Lodging, hotels 11.0 3.0
Foods 11.0 2.0
Tobacco 11.0 1.0
Forestry, oil, and gas reservoirs 12.0 12.0
Military weapons 12.0 2.0
Communication ...