As the pace of innovation increases at an ever faster rate, many
products that traditionally may not have been thought of as
involving computers or software are incorporating these elements.
In 2007, the iPhone revolutionized the public's conceptions
about what a phone should be. Ever since, there has been a growing
trend toward increasing connectivity and computing power in the
products that we use on a day-to-day basis. Today, toasters connect
to our wireless networks. Some automobiles now incorporate over 100 million lines of computer
code into their onboard computer systems.
While innovation brings new opportunity, it also can bring new
challenges for manufacturers. As more and more "smart"
products incorporate computer and software elements, manufacturers
must evaluate whether they have the appropriate supply chain
practices and procedures in place to handle the addition of these
elements. Among other things, this may include revising their
contracting practices
