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There’s no denying the profound
transformation the industry has
undergone in the last fifty to sixty
years. We’ve evolved from a cottage
industry to a ubiquitous element in
the fabric of almost every society
on Earth. The demand for wireless
connectivity will continue to grow,
the technology will continue to
advance at an accelerating rate, and
I have no doubt that Mini-Circuits
and other RF and microwave
suppliers will continue adapting to
bring greater value to customers.
But that doesn’t mean the core
value proposition has changed.
The perceived shift toward
commoditization in the RF market
is just that: a perception. The RF
world is distinct from other parts of
the digital world in that customers
will always rely on their suppliers to
some degree to develop solutions
and integrate them to optimize
system performance, regardless
of how repeatable performance
becomes. And suppliers will
always look to their customers
to guide their own development
efforts. The moment we dismiss
that collaborative relationship,
the customer-supplier team, is
the moment we lose sight of the
meaning of value. And history has
shown how that goes.
As for the future of our industry,
although there is a trend toward
commoditization at the high-
volume, subscriber level, as there
needs to be, the opportunities for
RF engineers to blaze new paths
through creative innovation and
collaboration will remain vital to
the evolution of the technology and
ongoing growth of the industry.
In 1957, we were at the early stage
of the commercialization of radio
technology. Like artists, we were
creating something where before
there was nothing, out of little more
than our knowledge, experience,
and passion, painting the picture of
what the industry would eventually
become. And while maybe the
canvas has changed, I feel the
same creative energy and spirit
of invention today, creating new
solutions for my customers with
the tools I have from my education,
knowledge and experience, the
partnership of my peers in the field,
and the passion to keep solving
problems and creating value.
Read
To
Lead
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New-Tech Magazine Europe l 33