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In procurement, the lowest unit price is often treated as the clearest measure of success. It is simple, visible, and easy to defend in a report. But that simplicity can be misleading when it is disconnected from the realities of production, supply continuity, and risk.

Electronic component obsolescence was once treated as a relatively predictable event. A component manufacturer issued an end-of-life notice, procurement arranged a last-time buy, engineering qualified an alternate and production moved forward. That sequence still occurs, but it no longer captures the full scope of obsolescence risk.

When electronic components are difficult to find, expensive to replace, or critical to production continuity, access to supply is only part of the equation. The systems behind that supply matter just as much.

The semiconductor shortage is still widely framed as an AI and automotive story. But that framing misses how shortages actually spread.

Build a better global sourcing strategy in 2023 with our top 5 semiconductor supply chain resources of the last year. Take on the new year with confidence!