Jerard,
<<Another question; how poised is China to market to the developing world with ultra-cheap products we could never compete with?>>
Very poised in that the markets for the kinds of cheap products that China largely manufactures behaves in ways that are compatible with unsophisticated marketing. The vast majority of the kinds of products China produces and markets are things like ready wear, Christmas ornaments, cheap tools, glasswear, antique reproductions. These are products that buyers seek out, trooping into China by the droves. You run into them at major crossings into China all the time if you travel the beat.
More sophisticated products made in China such as high tech components, disk drives, medical consumables, and consumer applicances are made there at the behest of dedicated marketing organizations located in other parts of the world. China is still largely a labor pool for manufacturing.
<<Somehow I feel that getting and keeping customers will become increasingly important as the elements of global enterprise consolidate in the next twenty years.>>
There can be no doubt about this statement IMO. I believe we will see a continuance of the trend towards smaller supplier lists and closer, more strategic, relationships as a means of groping with a more complex global business scenario. This will require unheard of levels of dedication to customers needs and wants IMO. Dedicated production lines, support reps, and spare part inventorys for example.
Best,
Stitch |
