Leapfrogging

Leapfrogging, also Leap - frogging, ( engl. leap frogging: Leapfrog ) is initially a general term of economics and generally referred to ( voluntary ) omission of individual steps in the course of a development process.

The principle can the larger ones on entire sectors or national economies are applied (eg developing countries), or on a small scale, for example, marketing or market research.

The phenomenon is observable among others in the IT sector, when it comes to the purchase or modification of software and hardware - both in business and in private.

In the field of marketing is especially the conscious decision of a consumer meant an innovation not to buy, to postpone the decision to buy the next product generation. The reason for this behavior is that the relative benefit of innovation currently offered to consumers does not appear large enough. From the hesitant attitude of the consumer results in the displacement of a purchase decision on a new expected future generation of products.

Leapfrogger are often characterized as " wait-and- experts ". They have a high level of knowledge of information and communication ( ICT), but only a small innovation.

In particular, by the announcement of innovations that are not yet on the market and in development are ("Pre- Announcement - policy " ), this consumer behavior is reinforced by the company. One solution is the deliberate slowing of the innovation process in cooperation with other companies that are active in the same sector.