Deck 22: Case Study Harmonix: Embrace Your Inner Rock Star

Question 1

Putting a guitar-shaped controller in the player's hands solved the fun deficit of earlier Harmonix products.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

How did Viacom's marketing managers respond to early drops in sales?

A) selling Harmonix for a loss
B) they took the initiative to expand product lines
C) correcting design flaws
D) making the product attractive to professional musicians
E) with organized abandonment

Answer 2

B
Viacom's Harmonix unit essentially followed the maturity-decline template for videogames that lose their cachet,trying to capture whatever is left of it through expanded product lines-updated games and add-on accessories,and other platforms.

Question 3

To further exploit the growing popularity Guitar Hero,Harmonix came out with Rock Band.Which stage of the PLC would this most likely take place?

A) decline stage
B) introductory stage
C) growth stage
D) maturity stage
E) fashion stage

Answer 3

D
During the maturity stage,product lines are lengthened to appeal to additional market segments.

Question 4

During its introductory stage,Guitar Hero experienced none of the following typical scenarios except __________.

A) little competition
B) high failure rate
C) frequent product modification
D) product recalls
E) limited distribution

Question 5

Which of the following rate of adoption characteristics most likely frustrated Harmonix as a software company and pointed it in the direction of Guitar Hero?

A) relative advantage
B) compatibility
C) complexity
D) observability
E) trialability

Question 6

The failure of Rock Band 3 signaled what stage of Harmonix's venture into the music videogame?

A) When the design changes become less functional and more stylistic.
B) The sudden and precipitous sales drop at the end of a fad.
C) It marked the decline phase.
D) It was a desperate extension of the product line and thus a continuation of the maturity stage.
E) all of the above

Question 7

By performing cover songs in Guitar Hero,Harmonix had changed one core idea in it product design.

Question 8

Harmonix's move from software to videogames gave it a sense of purpose and ultimately a winning product.Though hardly a traditional development process,which one aspect of that process is consistent with the development of Guitar Hero?

A) test marketing
B) winnowing out products
C) a core idea
D) idea screening
E) competition

Question 9

Guitar Hero is the diffusion of an innovative product,Karaoke Revolution.

Question 10

The product lifestyle Guitar Hero would qualify as a typical fad.