What Chip War Taught Us About Supply Chains

How you can make your supply chains better

The global chip shortage affecting various industries, such as automotive and electronics, has highlighted the importance of supply chains.

Beyond the attention that Supply Chains and the Procurement Profession had due to the impact of Covid, no other area has garnered as much attention as the humble “chip”.

I’m probably going to reference “chip” throughout. But the term is a broad term that references:

1. Microchips:

   • This term is often used interchangeably with "chips". It emphasises the small size of these components.

2. Integrated Circuits (ICs):

   • This is a more formal or technical term for chips, highlighting that they incorporate interconnected electronic components like transistors, resistors, and capacitors on a single piece of semiconductor material.

3. Semiconductor Devices:

   • This term is a bit broader and could encompass devices besides what we typically think of as chips, but it's used in some contexts.

4. Die:

   • This term refers to the piece of semiconductor material where the integrated circuit is fabricated.

5. Silicon Chips: