I agree. From the destruction will come a strong rebirth. Antiquated systems will be replaced out of necessity.
In hiring, you may have come across people that you know can do almost any job--you don't even care if they've ever done it before, because it's their intrinsic intelligence and energy that tells you things will get done. I think many manufacturers in Japan are like that. Likely. there will be rapid adaptation and improvement.
I am not sure if any significant sample of electronics exports was actually tested high for radiation, but i wont be surprised if this happens in coming days since the radiation level's are significantly high around the nuclear plant.
Interesting. Do we know whether a significant sample of electronics exports has actually tested high for radiation? Or is this just a marketing issue? I imagine it was already illegal to import or export something dangerously radioactive, before the disaster.
One more factor which affected the Supply chain this time around is radiation leakage. Several countries have banned imports from Japan fearing radiation contamination.
On the specific quake threat to technology: it's a very astute point that not just the factories and the Asia-based companies are in seismic zones, but really the technology industry is located around the shaky Pacific Rim. Silicon Valley is over the Santa Cruz mtns from the San Andreas Fault, and the Hayward Fault, which may be even spookier when you look at geologists' prognostications, runs right under San Francisco Bay. It's curious to think that such an industry is so specifically exposed to a particular, and particularly devastating kind of threat.
Brown is right in noting the suply chain is more about financial risk management than it is about actual supply and demand. A lot of the inventory the current structure deals with is actually theoretical rather than physical inventory, based on demand, leadtimes and forecasts...The current structure is also supposed to account for every possible "what if" scenario a computer system can create--all of this theory hasn't helped this time in acutal practice
As with many other human endevors, little regard is paid to the overall Economic position, but rather short term gain.
The supply chain is the way it is because of the financial incentives and as such it has grown to its current incarnation with very little regard to the geographical stability of any particular region, it is the same reason that a country would build ,not one but four nuclear reactors in a geographically unstable position, right next to an ocean prone to tsunamis.
The rebuilding of Japan will continue the same way it has in the past, that is to say with very little regard to the population of the effected area, it is a sad fact of life that many in Japan consider it none of their business or not their problem because they are to far away from the area.We may see a few officials bowing or 'crying' or saying sorry, but the reality is that many of the areas will receive little or no support.
There is of course a further issue to consider and that is of the radiation, the supply chain may actually become contaminated with radio active materials or emissions, putting any supplied products at a level higher than that of other suppliers, which in turn may then force consumers or governments to further restrict the supply chain even though it has entered a recovery phase, certainly as regards electronic components, there can be serious reliability issues related to stray particles, particularly as regards to Memory devices.
Japan has played a keyrole in the supply chain along with china and taiwan. But there is lot of reasons why the it is too costly to rebuild the Japan. It is very clear that they are at the risk in the future just like other countries in seismic zone. This could be one reason for the investors to look back and build the plants in other geographic without much problems.
While we have started worrying about the aftereffects of the earthquake in Japan and other Asian countries, we must also be well aware and alarmed that the Silcon Valley also lies in the seismic zone and may witness a similar natural disaster because of it being part of the very sensitive seismic zone. Such a disaster will upset the root business itself , leave aside the supply chain!
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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