Logistics in emerging markets have long centered around the movement of large quantities of manufactured goods or commodities between businesses. But rising consumption driven by a growing middle class is set to change that, according to new research reports.

Analyst Insight: When it comes to supply chain management, logistics has long been something of an afterthought. As companies look for more ways to win in the marketplace, and customers step up their demands for better service and delivery transparency, superior logistics is becoming a competitive differentiator. – Brett Cayot, Principal, PwC Advisory Practice; Sandra H Gosling, Director, PwC Advisory Practice; Thornton Hughes, Principal, Strategy&

Back in 2011, in the midst of an intensifying debate about the impact of globalization, author and academic Pankaj Ghemawat voiced a view that was in sharp contrast to the prevailing wisdom on the subject: "We're not nearly as globalized as we think we are."

It's fair to say that some mouths dropped in some quarters when word got out that the vice president of supply chain for McDonald's in the UK said he had handshakes rather than formal contracts with key suppliers. In dispensing with the written word, the fast-food chain formed long-term relationships with its partners in food, packaging and distribution, and included them in planning – even helping to set prices and volumes. Said Warren Anderson, "We don’t have contracts, but we do have our very assured supply partnerships with our food and paper suppliers," he said. "A gentleman’s handshake is just as powerful here."