In time of supply shortage, the nature of Dell tecnology allows them to configure a system in different ways and to offer substitute configurations. Additions, maintaining strong, long term relationships and contracts with supplier allows Dell to leverage the credibility and transparency of these relationships, and give them priority in time of supply shortages, therefore, once Dell had mapped their supply chain and understood that it was primarily their upstream suppliers that had been affected by the Japan crisis,Dell senior executive quickly reacted to contact suppliers, reassuring them of them of their importance to Dell, reinforcing the relationship,and increasing Dell accountability to their supply chain partners