Sales and operations planning is growing in importance to manufacturers and so is the necessity to manage risk, says Simon Ellis, practice director, supply chain strategies, at IDC Manufacturing Insights. In his analysis, Ellis assesses the future of outsourcing and the health of the supply chain.

Managing costs and taking advantage of low freight rates, to be sure - but their real concern is maintaining a high level of customer service in a time of reduced demand.

New-product development and a complete makeover of its supply chain came simultaneously for Motorola. Ann Deardorff, senior director of quality and strategy, outlines some of the challenges the electronics giant has faced so far in this ongoing project.

Rather than take a hands-off approach to transportation, the U.S. Department of Commerce is very much involved in trying to bring efficiencies to the country's freight policies, says Joe Holecko, a global trade specialist with the department's International Trade Administration.

Dick Metzler, chief commercial officer of Greatwide Logistics Services, discusses whether the transportation and logistics market is returning to health or if signs of life merely illustrate Wall Street's colorful term for a small, brief recovery.