Margaret Kairis, director of customer supply chain operations with Sony Electronics, talks about how the company has collaborated with a select group of retailers to improve in-stock levels, without causing excessive inventories.

The supply chain has helped many companies to weather the recession because it enabled them to react better to either capacity shortage or inventory change, says Simon Ellis, practice director, global supply chain strategies, at IDC Manufacturing Insights. That was largely due to the use of information technology. While cost is always king, investment in the right IT is going to continue.

The world of high-tech entertainment isn't quite so sophisticated when it comes to supplying product for the many channels that have sprung up in recent years. Russ Pearlman, digital content services lead for media and entertainment with Capgemini, details some of the challenges.

Guy Yehiav, vice president of value chain planning with Oracle Corp., describes some innovative techniques that suppliers of consumer electronics can use to improve the matching of supply with demand - drawing on the resources of everyone in the chain.

Leo Lin, chief financial officer of Monster Cable Products, involves himself in every aspect of the company's supply chain, most notably its sales and operations planning process. Here, he offers some tips on how finance executives can break down traditional corporate silos.