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I DA U N I V E R S A L N ove m b e r - D e ce m b e r 2 0 1 5 77 because of recent trends. ey are controlling data, one member confi ded. Asked how serious a threat this trend will be in the future, this member remarked, "It's already a big deal now. If we lose access, if we can't see how part numbers interact, we can't support the distributor network." Start tracking the trends in earnest, as if your future depends on it. Because, most likely, it will. ● Robert B. Tucker is president of e Innovation Resource Consulting Group in Santa Barbara, California. He is the author of seven books, including the latest, Innovation is Everybody's Business, and can be reached at info@innovationresource.com or by calling (805) 682-1012. our assumptions," new sources of diff erentiation can be devel- oped in even the most basic of industries. Embrace the Power of Diversifi cation. One best practice I picked up in my conversations with IDA members is the impor- tance of diversifi cation to the independent distributor in coping with the cyclical nature of the a ermarket industry. "We diversify in four sectors in order to mitigate risks in the global marketplace," one IDA member explained. If you've got all your eggs in one basket, you're vulner- able to a signifi cant downturn that pulls you down with it. If you're serving the construc- tion market, which is strong in most parts of the United States, you may be enjoying double-digit growth just now. But if you're only in mining or oil and gas, you're probably contracting. Suggestion: Figure out your unique selling proposition, then ask yourself: is this adequate for the years ahead? Where else and how might we diff erentiate going forward? Become a Trend-Tracker. As I travel from industry to industry (and country to country), what I fi nd is that a surprising number of players remain unaware when disrup- tion begins in their industry. ey are, as the expression has it, "in denial." ey believe they have more time than they do to mount a response. Disruption, as I defi ne it, is the arrival of signifi - cant outside forces – be they technological, regulatory, demographic, or economic – that fundamentally change the rules of competition in an industry. While a recession will eventually recede, disrup- tion is a permanent change. An examination of compa- nies, such as Kodak, Block- buster, Blackberry, Borders, Radio Shack and many others, reveals a truth of the modern era: companies (large and small alike) are susceptible to disruption. And regardless of size or incumbency, they have less and less time to creatively, proactively respond. Kodak had 37 years to countervail the digital camera, and failed. Blackberry and Nokia had only fi ve. In the case of IDA, my initial research suggests that the OEMs are in a stronger position in the marketplace