Keeping Ahead in the R&D Race: The Influence of Machine Learning and Time-To-Market

One of Microsoft's very few failures over the years was the Microsoft Zune, an MP3 player that crashed and burned – largely because, by the time it was released, Apple had already cornered the market with its fruit-emblazoned counterpart. This is just one example showing how time-to-market is critical. The crucial nature of time-to-market is not a new concept but one that has driven global trade for thousands of years. Thirty years ago, a classic McKinsey study showed that companies lost 33% of after-tax profit as a consequence of products shipping six months late. Many factors feed into time-to-market, such as distribution, marketing strategy, production processes, and supply chains.