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As the electronic manufacturing industry is increasingly globalized, with US companies outsourcing factory activities abroad, it is difficult to delineate company boundaries; design, manufacture and assembly of products can span three different countries. The industry is driven by technological innovation, with cost competitiveness proving to be a key factor. According to private research firm Business Insights, South Korean companies LG and Samsung are fueling commoditization of the industry, with other companies striving to hold their own in the face of these emerging corporate powers. Japanese competitors are looking to diversification into fields such as environment and energy to stimulate growth. Apple, on the other hand, is managing to keep its profits high through the tactic of disruptive innovations. The European electronic manufacturing services industry grew by almost 6.5% in 2011, with a lower rate inferior to 3% in Western Europe, and a higher rate of over 9% in Central & Eastern Europe, according to Reed Electronics Research. The global electronic manufacturing services industry is expected to grow by almost 9% each year throughout the five-year period by the end of 2015, according to Â鶹ԭ´´Line, at which point the market would be worth almost $300 billion. Most electronic equipment manufacturers are at the service of original equipment manufacturers. The region comprised of Central and Eastern Europe and other is expected to represent 60% of overall EU electronic production by 2015, a 3% increase compared with 2010. Electronics products are becoming cheaper and being produced faster thanks to the industry’s supply chain, which is becoming more and more globalized. Much of the electronic goods manufactured by the industry come from Asia, with China the number one country in terms of production. Outsourcing is common amongst US electronics manufacturers, allowing them to capitalize on profits by cutting production costs. The industry relies on technological innovation, with heavy investment in research and development projects involving highly qualified engineers and technical experts. An increasing degree of automation is making the production of electronics equipment faster and helping to keep the pace of production up with that of constantly evolving designs.

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