The First Generation Prius

1. The first generation Prius was small, cramped, and not very attractive. It was the first of the hybrid model and launched in 2001 in the United States. However, the second generation Prius was introduced three years later, which was much more pleasing to certain players of the microenvironment. First of all, the first generation Prius greatly affected the company. Toyota wants to promise its customers a car that will save them money and be environmentally friendly. They cannot promise it until their manufactures can create a car that can do those things, like run on an electric motor and be much more efficient with gas. The company has to get on board with the top management, finance, R&D, purchasing, operations, and accounting before they can work on the new Prius model. They all have to "think consumer" while performing these functions within the company. Toyota also has to be in good relationships with its suppliers, those who provide

resources needed for the company to produce its goods and services. Without the suppliers, Toyota would not be able to produce the first or second generation Prius. The United States, without marketing intermediaries, would not have to privilege to sell the Prius. Since they are Japanese cars, they usually are not bought directly from Japan, which means Toyota would need resellers in the U.S. They sell the cars in the states to help the company find customers and make sales. The first generation did not have any competitors because at the time it was the only hybrid. However the second generation Prius started to face its competitors such as the Civic. Although the Honda Accord, Mercury Mariner and Ford Escape were competitors as well, they still were not near as successful since they were less efficient and more expensive hybrids. Other cars of the Toyota family, such as the Camry are more competitive with the Prius than models outside of Toyota. However, there is continual growing...

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