It happened with automobiles and it happened with personal computers. If you subscribe to Michael Porter's classic Lifecycle of an Industry framework - the end of the growth stage is marked by a structural change from a fragmented industry, to one dominated by fewer, more powerful players.
The cycle of this current 'e' business revolution has occurred in a much shorter time frame than any industry in history. Only four or five years after the introductory stage of the internet, analysts are already saying consolidation is required for the industry to mature - a prerequisite if markets are to regain interest in internet and related technology investments.
Even those Asian companies that are already...
