Jacob, Right. It's not the job of the consumer to know the fine details of a company's supply chain. In large part they don't and many simply don't care.
Bolaji, consumers are not concerns with the back end companies. Most of them are aware only about apple and apple products. How many people know that apple is works more or less like an assembling unit or branding factory. They are taking LCD panels, storage units, battery and similar components from trusted third party companies. This true with almost all brands. So from customer point of view, they are not bothered about back end suppliers they bother only about brands.
In my opinion the majority of the customers of Apple must be unaware of this Foxconn issue which is making rounds in the media. The customers normally go only by the brand name and do not bother to see what good or bad things are behind that brand. For them the product is more important than the process.
As far as relationship between Apple and Foxconn is concerned it could be a love-hate relationship - not easy to break.
If Foxconn saw the light and began to change, you can be sure that the prices of products -- not just Apple's -- would rise.
@Barbara, I totally agree with your observation. And this is the last thing we want because market is just recovering from severe downturn and this price rise will definitely hurt the OEM's. I think the best solution for all the OEM is to continue relationship with Foxconn and may be parallely start looking for alternatives to Foxconn.
Well said, It is very difficult the Breaking up and both companies will lose at the moment, on the other hand, the other hand maybe it costs too much (bad image of Foxconn affects the Apples sales) if Apple retains the OEM EMS relation with the Foxconn.
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.
To save this item to your list of favorite EBN content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
