Procter & Gamble (P&G) originated, in 1837, as a partnership between William Procter and James Gamble. The company originated as a soap and candle manufacturer. 153 years later, Procter and Gamble has matured into a giant corporation, marketing approximately 300 brands to nearly 5 billion consumers worldwide, with sales totaling around $39 billion annually. P&G produces non-durable consumer goods, particularly in the areas of cleaning and hygiene. Other subsidiaries include the Iams Corporation, maker of premium-priced pet food, and Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, specializing in the areas of cardiac, respiratory, and anti-inflammatory agents, as well as toothpaste. P&G is also the owner of two soap operas: Guiding Light and As the World Turns.
             P&G's market is mature, with only small year-to-year growths in sales. These sales are often consumer-driven; so efficient marketing is an absolute necessity. However, an element of luck also is involved, particularly when determining consumer needs and future trends. The non-durable consumer goods market is diverse, but in general is headed by a few large multi-national corporations, such as Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive, and Kimberly-Clark. Competition to determine the consumer's preferred product can be fierce, requiring large resources, and the ability to finance marketing campaigns. Thus, entry into this market is difficult for any but the largest of companies. (See Figure 1 for historical net sales for P&G and its competitors.) P&G is larger in scope than most of its competitors across its market, which could be a blessing (from cross-product marketing) or a curse (P&G might be too big a company to effectively manage).
             Procter and Gamble and The Environment:
             Procter and Gamble's (P&G) research and development (R&D) budget, consisting of 4% of sales income, is not only employed for the development of new products, but also for improving existing produ...