SUPPLIER EYE

Facing the new disruptors

Industry leaders remain so by staying ahead of the next ‘big’ trend. They view emerging shifts in business and technology as opportunities, regardless of the disruption such trends portend. Even when faced with unexpected (i.e., a natural disaster) or expected (global regulatory) shifts, suppliers must be agile and decisive. Ignorance of disruption is not an excuse.

Recent history is littered with examples of the swift exit of key technologies that were once the lifeblood of many suppliers. Sparkplug wires, incandescent bulbs, mechanical throttle control-the list is long indeed. In many cases, the decline was signaled well in advance and took several vehicle cycles to unfold-allowing those impacted to integrate new capabilities, find partners or divest. Other times, the decline was rapid and resulted in hard decisions with few alternatives.