The glitch we can't stop talking about
04/01/2001
Mention the word "dot-com" lately and undoubtedly your co-workers will give you a mixed bag of comments, from the "I told you so" naysayers to the "You haven't seen nothin' yet" optimists.
 |
Clearly, the topsy-turvy, whiplash-like market that continues to strike down dot-com companies - just tune into MSNBC for the latest toll - has infused a reality-check into many companies and somewhat of a sky-is-falling mentality in others. Talking about the demise of pie-in-the-sky companies that lacked basic business strategies has been a good story, but dot-com layoffs still pale in comparison to the recent layoffs at what we might consider to be more traditionally run companies. Perhaps that's caused more of a reality check than anything as of late.
So what are your cohorts and competitors saying about this market? Considering the record highs our industry experienced last year, most are all "cautiously optimistic." Of course they are - isn't everyone? Certainly consumers' recent reluctance to buy products rubs off on our supply-and-demand issues. And companies that have seen this before and weathered well will likely do the same this next go-around. I still like to look at it as a bump in the road, a glitch, a correction.
The nice thing about people being skittish about the economy is that they tend to settle down quickly and focus on what they do really well. If people are working to better position their companies to withstand market downturns, then we should all benefit by better technology and a better use of resources. Getting back to basics doesn't mean we can't be innovative. On the contrary, innovation must still drive the industry.
And will all dot-coms go by the wayside? No, but some companies will need to better define how Web sites can be an invaluable resource to their customers. I admit that's what we are going for with our Web site, continually adapting www.apmag.com to be a better information resource for our readers and a stronger complement to the magazine. We are trying new things and sticking with, or enhancing, elements that we feel are integral and resourceful. It is this approach that promises to help not just Advanced Packaging magazine, but our entire industry, to overcome the "glitch" - a dedication to a balanced blend of adaptability and a reliance upon the "tried and true."
Until next month,
Amy Knutson-Strack
Senior Executive Editor,
Print and New Media
Do you have a question, comment or request? Here are your contacts for some frequently asked questions. The staff at Advanced Packaging magazine and PennWell Publishing will be happy to assist you.
Feature Submissions · Letters to the Editor · Editorial Focus · Editorial Lineups · Author Guidelines · Copyright Permissions
Contact: Amy Knutson-Strack, Sr. Exec. Editor
· Advanced Packaging Editorial Offices 430 North Milwaukee Avenue, Suite 10
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
· Tel: 847-876-5610
· Fax: 847-634-4240
· E-mail: [email protected]
Press Releases · Industry News · Calendar Updates · New Products · Covers
Contact: Kathleen Peterson, Associate Editor
· Advanced Packaging Editorial Offices 430 North Milwaukee Avenue, Suite 10
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
· Tel: 847-876-5608
· Fax: 847-634-4240
· E-mail: [email protected]
Subscriptions · Change of Address
Contact: Omeda Subscription Services
· Tel: 847-559-7500
· Fax: 847-291-4816
· E-mail: [email protected]
Photocopies
Permission to photocopy for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, or for educational use, is granted by PennWell Corp., provided that the appropriate fee is paid directly to CCC, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923; 978-750-8400.
Microfilm Copies
Microfilm copies of Advanced Packaging may be purchased from University Microfilms, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106