Information Technology is now one of the source to identify innovative marketing techniques, it has changed the competitive environment for many firms.
For companies that sell to commercial and industrial consumers, the market is king. In recent years the bar for satisfactory user experience has been set very high and must be highly engineered, This means IT and marketing must be ready partners, less dedicated to any single academic discipline, and each with some expertise or interest in the other's domain.
There is definitely a difference between push-driven solutions and pull-driven. The old model was the IT department decided what to do and pushed the solution down. Now it seems they are asking--pulling--what users need, and that includes not just customers but internal users as well. It is hard to break the barriers between departments down and I give Avnet credit for accomplishing this.
I enjoyed your article and agree that in many companies the line between departments is becoming blurry. What I see happening are the various groups teaming up to achieve some defined goal and using whatever tools available to do it best. I most recently witnessed this at a big trade show where the IT and marketing groups were all working together and having a blast at the show.
"At Avnet Inc. (NYSE: AVT), we're always looking for new ways to push the technologies to talk to our customers and partners"
Al Marg, in most of the cases there won't be any direct interaction between the end customer and the OEM's. All the communications are happening through the partners or supply chain peoples; from company part they may conduct training and workshops through third parties. So in total there won't be any direct interaction between the company and the end users.
I strongly believe that there should be proper bondage between companies and end users: then only then can know pulse of the user, for a better market driven product.
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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