Evolution of Positioning Strategies:

It has been recommended by Hayes and Wheelwright that the characteristics of production systems tend to evolve as products move through their product life cycles. Figure illustrates the evolution of positioning strategies for a product.

Figure: Evolution of Positioning Strategies: Process Life Cycles

In the early stages of product's life cycle, positioning is done by using custom design of the product in small batch production that is process focused at produce to order facility. Batch size and volume of the product increases with increase in market demand and as a result of these positioning shifts to standard product design with product focused production at produce to stock factories. At the matured level of demand, highly standard product with product focused production at produce to stock factories. Thus, maturity of products should be accompanied with the modification of production systems to a changing set of competitive priorities along with capital and production technology.