MARKET DYNAMICS
Market dynamics will drive industries through the e-business continuum. These powerful, rather unpredictable forces will also be a major factor in how quickly online trade will develop within any given industry segment. The speed of e-business adoption will vary from one industry to another. Market space structural factors and available e-business technology adoptions will be the ultimate determining factors. For instance, industries that are more innovative yet agile will forge new ways to accommodate customer demands for online buying.
Table 10.1 describes some examples of industrial supply chains and their gradual adoptions of e-commerce solutions.
Table 10.1 Vertical markets with centralized needs
Industry |
What's Included |
What Moves to E-commerce |
Computers and electronics |
Semiconductors, manufacturing, wholesale and business retail of hardware, software products |
Wholesale, business retail, and manufacturer supply chains |
Motor vehicles |
Auto components, manufacturing, distribution |
Vehicle wholesale, subassembly supply chain, spare parts wholesale |
Petrochemicals |
Equipment, extraction and refining, manufacturing, distribution |
Wholesale and distribution of petroleum, chemicals, and plastics |
Utilities |
Gas and electric industry equipment, exploration, production, distribution |
Transmission and wholesale distribution of gas and electricity, equipment, spare parts |
Paper and office products |
Paper and furniture manufacturing and supplies, distribution |
Distribution and replenishment, manufacturing supply chains |
Shipping and warehousing |
All modes of transport, warehousing, and logistics |
Load tendering commitments, contract bids, dead-load auctions |
Food and agriculture |
Farm equipment and supplies, farm products, food processing, distribution |
Equipment supply chains, grocery and farm supplies distribution, machinery spare parts |
Consumer and goods |
Manufacture and distribution of appliances, home electronics, leisure goods, furniture, and apparel |
Consumer goods wholesale, manufacturing supply chains |
Pharmaceutical and medical |
R&D, manufacture and wholesale of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and supplies |
Pharmaceutical distribution, supplies replenishment, medical manufacturing supply chains |
Aerospace and defense |
Manufacture and wholesale of aircraft, space vehicles, and defense materials |
Commercial aircraft spare parts, military replenishment, some manufacturing supply chains |
Construction |
Logging, construction materials and machinery, fixtures, engineers, contractors, and architects |
Project and subcontractor bidding, materials wholesale, replenishment |
Heavy industries |
Mining, minerals, steel production and wholesale, infrastructure construction |
Raw materials and steel wholesale spot markets, construction bidding |
Industrial equipment |
Industrial machinery and equipment, manufacture and wholesale, industrial supplies |
Spare parts and supplies, some wholesale and some supply chain |
Source: Forrester Research, November 1998 |
The current trends in technology, telecommunications, and media markets highlight an increasing interest in e-commerce solutions by supply chain enterprises across many industrial segments. This growth is beginning to gather a great deal of momentum. In fact, some investment analysts believe that the success rate will reach high speeds during the next few years. There are several reasons for this somewhat rapid growth; it is a technologically-focused change. Continuous management of innovation and evolutionary change are also very fundamental to fostering the growth.