Commenting on original equipment manufacturers (OEM) being sold on e-commerce sites under different brand names, SMU Professor Emeritus of Operations Management Arnoud De Meyer said that in the case of the Apple iPhone, the whole product is assembled by OEMs, from multiple electronics manufacturers and suppliers such as Foxconn and Pegatron. He said having an OEM was "very common practice" for companies – and thus unavoidable for consumers. Prof De Meyer also commented on the benefits of using OEMs, and explained, "It is all about focus and specialisation. This may lead to better products produced at higher volumes and thus at lower cost because of the economies of scale." However, he also pointed to the example of problematic engines produced by aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney to highlight how using an OEM could mean a lack of oversight over the production process. Prof De Meyer also shared his observation that a consumer's purchase decision is almost always a mix of rationality and emotions.
