Before embarking on a competitor acquisition, carefully assess the risk, complexity and cost of managing customer perceptions.

FORBES: Why Industry Consolidations Like the American Airlines and US Airways Merger Are Not Just for Big Companies

Moreover, they can root customer perceptions of a category by focusing attention on a bold but misguided first attempt at cracking the market (think of the first mobile Internet experience, WAP).

FORBES: Is Google Too Rushed to Pioneer?

The Ideation module captures insight, data and perceptions from the customer base (whether they are external or internal).

FORBES: How and Why Techies Must Lead and Manage IT Innovation

At the company's Shanghai shop, customer Jin Yi said Mr Jobs had created gadgets which had "changed people's perceptions of machines".

BBC: Steve Jobs, Apple 'visionary', dies aged 56