What’s the SCOOP? Election Week Roundup
by Philip Stoten
This was to be the week we found out who would be the next president of the United States, but as I post this article counting continues and the margins are as wafer thin as the EMS industry’s margins. Who knows, when I wake up tomorrow it may all be settled…
- A few weeks ago I started to ask some of the most interesting and influential people I know in the manufacturing and supply chain industry (the WTS50 – What’s the SCOOP 50 Most Interesting and Influential) what they wanted from the next president. Fourteen CEOs answered and their full responses are posted on LinkedIn. Comments and quotes from these answers also found their way in articles in several publications.
- Meanwhile some of the WTS50 have been sharing their own view. In Forbes, Amar Hanspal, Bright Machine’s CEO says “National Manufacturing Policy Desperately Needs A Revamp”, adding “The case has never been more vital for new policy that supports a robust manufacturing sector. Though offshore manufacturing, and the low prices that result from it, has been good for consumers, globalization has contributed to the decimation of jobs at home and become one of the biggest threats to our environment.”
- Also in Forbes and on the WTS50 list, Fictiv CEO Dave Evans asks, “Does Either Presidential Candidate Have The Right Plan For Manufacturing?” The short answer is no, probably not. And that’s not because they don’t want the sector to succeed or because they don’t believe in America’s amazing manufacturing pedigree and prowess. It is because neither seem to have identified the key to creating sustainable growth in the sector along with sustainable, well-paid jobs.
- According to Supply Chain Dive, “Biden and Trump envision similar supply chains — but different paths to get there”. Both presidential candidates promote investment in domestic manufacturing and supply chains, but they diverge on how to handle global trade relations.
- In IndustryWeek, a feature a few weeks ago talks to “The Candidates, the Issues and the Future of Manufacturing” exploring what President Trump and Joe Biden are planning for the next four years of American manufacturing.
- Fast Company offers advice on, “What Big Tech has to gain, and lose, from a Biden presidency”. A Biden win means friendlier immigration policies and the likely end of trade war. But the tech giants will still be facing bipartisan goals to enforce antitrust and reform social media.
- Meanwhile “Apple, Microsoft and other tech stocks roar as the presidential election narrows to several states” according to Tech Crunch.
All in all, it’s an important week for the US, the world, and the manufacturing industry. It looks like going down to the wire and maybe even beyond the wire, with recounts and legal action. Truth be told the manufacturing industry needs consistency, predictability and visibility so they can plan for 2021, make the investments they need to make in digital transformation and focus on a post-pandemic recovery.
