The annual State of Logistics Report has a new author this year - and with it, a marked shift in some key trends.

ITS Financial Services has joined with McGriff, Seibels & Williams, and Roanoke Underwriting, to launch CargoShield.

During the mid-2000s, when emerging markets were growing at breakneck speed, the cavernous gap separating industrial and developing economies began to close. This convergence took place against a backdrop of economic liberalization, built on the idea that the financial systems of all nations would dovetail. That period is now over.

Michael Landberg, strategic global sourcing manager at Boston Scientific, describes how a major player in life-sciences approaches the critical issue of risk management.

Louis Ferretti, project executive for global procurement with IBM, traces the history of the company's risk-management initiative, to its current use of sophisticated technology and business processes.

It won't be easy, but shifting to a productivity-led economy from one focused on investment could add trillions of dollars to China's growth by 2030.

Ortec Consulting has launched its Big Data Portal, providing analytics as a service.

Regulations and protectionist trade policies are killing small business, according to Alibaba Group Executive Chairman Jack Ma, who has called for a removal of trade policies that hinder global commerce.