Analyst Insight: A December 2009 study reveals that as few as 22 percent of companies are ready for the January 26, 2010 mandate date for full Importer Security Filing (ISF) "10+2" compliance. The economic recovery may foretell huge fines for these companies.

Analyst Insight: The life sciences industry is realizing significant supply chain and operational benefits by driving even modest increases in demand forecast accuracy. Companies included in a recent AMR Research study pointed to improved demand management processes as the number one reason for this increased supply chain visibility. And the benefits don't stop there!

Analyst Insight: The industrial economy has been replaced by the information economy. For high-tech supply chains battling the recession and focusing on demand-driven strategies, it's the customer that has undergone the most dramatic transformation. Selling, fulfilling and servicing these customers will require new supply chain designs.

Analyst Insight: Although companies were able to reduce absolute inventory levels by 10 percent from Q3/2008 to Q3/2009, a closer look reveals that Days Inventory On-hand deteriorated by 7.5 percent, resulting in excess working capital requirements of $50bn for the largest 1,000 U.S.-headquartered public companies. If not regained, this lost efficiency will become a more significant cash drain than expected in 2010.

Analyst Insight: The global trade management software market is in constant flux, but the risk mitigation benefits provided by the vendors are unmistakable. Vendors offer solutions across logistics, compliance, and finance, and spending on GTM software remains one of the few bright spots with 53 percent of respondents from our recent survey stating they are going to increase spending on GTM.

Analyst Insight: As of 2010, the traditional relationship between supply chain and business is in full revolution, and global supply chain management has become more important than ever. The roles of supply chain and manufacturing within organizations continue to evolve, making it clear that manufacturing should be reporting to supply chain, instead of the other way around.

Analyst Insight: Simply handling storage and order fulfillment more efficiently than their clients could in-house is not enough. In difficult economic times, 3PLs are being called upon-and are uniquely situated-to take on additional tasks such as kitting, light assembly, and custom labeling, that will ease the burden on their clients' operations.

Analyst Insight: Any 3PL that wishes to increase its market share in 2010 must provide higher levels of customer-focused service offerings in this competitive marketplace. Client companies want to have their 3PL contract partners provide better support to their current service offerings.