Final answer:
It is false that companies rarely seek customer ideas in product development; many businesses use open innovation to align products with market needs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that companies rarely solicit ideas from customers during the idea generation stage of product development is false. In today's business environment, many companies actively engage in open innovation practices, where they reach out to customers to gather insights and ideas that can lead to new product development. This collaborative approach can provide a wealth of information and is often an essential part of the ideation phase. By understanding the needs and wants of customers, businesses can ensure that the products they develop are closely aligned with market demands, reducing the risk of poor design decisions that do not meet customer expectations.