Questions
1. GM. and Ford have quickly pushed the development of large Internet sites to create an environment where suppliers must compete for business. Ford and GM argue that these Internet sites should reduce cost because the negotiations are streamlined. How do you think the suppliers view these sites?
2. Rather than having vendors compete against one another, Toyota is interested in treating suppliers as partners. Is Toyota just being old-fashioned in its views?
3. A major reason for the differences in opinions may be the difference in what Toyota considers "competitive" components.
These are the components that would mostly be bought using the Internet trading sites. Who is right? Are steering wheels and wire connectors competitive components?