New opportunistic marketing strategy in a changed, complex and paradoxical power supply environment

This paper tracks the history of the merchant power supply industry over a span of ten years-from 1984 to 1993-to show that business of power supplies has grown significantly and changed profoundly. Over these years, the merchant market has grown because of the changing nature of equipment market and companies who make them. The growth has been primarily in custom AC/DC switchers and standard DC/DC power converters. The changes have occurred at the company levels in the product development and marketing approaches. The distinction between various companies based on different products has diminished and integration of products and markets have taken place. Most companies make many products for wide markets. To add to this confusing complexity, the power supply industry offers many paradoxes, so what appears on the surface does not necessarily occur in the products and market. In this environment, merchant industry is evolving to be opportunistic.<>