SOBERING STATS FROM THE SUPPLY CHAIN

摘要

Year-end surveys tend to be optimistic or at least to find one silver lining among the clouds. Nobody wants to set a tone of pessimism for the upcoming year. In the wake of reports on the unemployment rate, the European Union's debt management, and the skyrocketing tablet-computer market, however, companies in the electronics supply chain believe that the next few quarters will be tough. VentureOutsource, an EMS/ODM consultancy, in December released a survey that shows a different reality, at least as the electronics supply chain sees it. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most optimistic, the survey's respondents rate their current outlook at an average of 5.34. That figure is down 10% from a survey the company conducted six months ago.