These stages could be assimilated with the product life cycles and they are relevant as they signal the strategies to be implemented at each stage. In this line of thoughts, star products generate increased amounts of money (due to a strong market share), but also consume high budgetary levels (due to rapid growth rates). Cash cows consume reduced amounts of money and generate less that stars, but are more stable (they are leaders in a mature market). Dogs are products that consume little money, but also generate low levels of profitability - they are often in the stages of decline. Finally, question marks consume large amounts of money and generate little profits; they could either become stars (and then cash cows) or dogs (Net MBA, 2007).

Sony currently manufactures and produces items belonging to all four categories previously mentioned. The Sony Cyber Shot-DSC-W300 BLACK could be considered a cash cow...
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