Abstract

The Expert Opinion An Interview with Ryan Spencer Vice President and CIO at TK Holdings Inc., A Division of Takata Corporation Conducted by Paul S. Licker, Oakland University, licker@oakland.edu JGITM: Please tell me something about Takata, its industry and itsproducts. Spencer: Takata Corporation, one of the world's leading suppliers of automotive safety belts and airbag modules, has a long history of safety innovation and provides a host of safety technologies with the goal of protecting human life. The company's product portfolio includes seat belts, front and side-impact airbag modules, steering wheels, safety electronics, interior trim and textiles. JGITM: How important is information technology (I?J in your industry and specifically your organization? How do you know this? Spencer: Over the past 2 to three years, there has been a tremendous change, not just in the automotive industry but in industry in general in the way people rely on and use information technology. It's been a pretty dramatic shift. It's an expectation now that data will be there on time and correct; it's a given. This used to be seen as a bonus, but now it's an expectation. This has shifted the importance of the underlying technology. We see this now