Analyst Insight: From a strategic perspective, warehouse managers are faced with balancing competing objectives. They need to get orders out of the door faster, keep inventory moving amid fluctuating demand, and minimize costs. It will require not only process efficiencies within the four walls but better collaboration with both upstream and downstream partners to keep these competing pressures in check.

Analyst Insight: The dirty underside of supply chain is confronting the many risks inherent in 24x7-operations entrusted to "partners" in far-flung regions who are conducting fraudulent activities as well as dealing with unpredictable events. The big market here is risk transfer-insurance and others services to mitigate the impact of events. In addition, step by step, we are beginning to see approaches-metric and risk assessments methods, auditing and monitoring services, and technology - to support risk avoidance and assure recovery.

Analyst Insight: Last year's economic pressures were among the most severe ever exerted on the modern supply chain. In response, many organizations are searching for ways to cut costs from their operations, either by reevaluating their IT infrastructure or by reengineering their business processes.