The world continues to change, affecting individuals, communities, societies, economies, markets and industries.  There is a greater consumption of shoes in the world. There are fewer protected markets.  These two facts imply that although there will be new opportunities in the industry, the competition will increase as well.  The shoe industry forecasts a consolidation in the supply chain:  Large businesses will dominate the processes of design as well as the development of the product, its manufacture, logistics and retail sales.  Marketing will be focused on brand names.  Consumers are better informed today as they look for quality at a low price.  They follow the trends of sophistication, reacting emotionally.  This is both a challenge and an opportunity.    The focus is on small niches that are profitable, turning away from large volume trade. The moment has arrived in which one individual company cannot do everything and has to make decisions.   The crucial judgments are whether to specialize in the commercialization at the end of the supply chain, in the distribution chain, or in production.  The changes in the market are requiring producers and sellers to make the critical determination of whether or not to stay in the shoe business.  The decision is personal and private for each company.  No one else can be a guide.  Facing this, the key is to challenge one’s compartmentalized vision……and that begins with the imagination.
               
PRINCIPAL THEMES
Re-imagining commercialization at the end of the supply chain:  Direct sales or the creation of a convincing atmosphere.

• How to translate the behavior of the consumer into mini-tendencies.
• The creation and protection of the brand, packaging, store and service.
• Non traditional markets.
• The use of the Internet and the wiki economy.
• The advantages of importing and exporting.
• The business of fashion and style: the case of Portugal.
• Knowledge of the sales cycle (at what moment do you need to discount in order to avoid high inventory).

Re-imagining distribution channels: Limitations as motivators of the imagination.

• The domination of logistics. The current market requires a wide range of products.  This presents a large probability that something will go wrong.  The fundamental ability must be to know in the least amount of time possible (real time), what the consumer wants.  The goal of logistics is the timely delivery in order to maintain the lowest inventory possible. Without good logistics, even the best of companies will fail.

Re-imagining Production:  The challenge is to be flexible.

• The production cycle consistent with the sales cycle.
•  Reducing the cycles of design, development, programming and production.
• The new machinery, materials, information technology to be more flexible.
• The capacity to improve with the elevation of productivity and better planning.