Despite the obvious differences between software developers and the customers they serve, fundamentally they too are running businesses. Quite aside from the 'winning' qualities of their products, these companies need sound business practices to ensure profitability quarter after quarter.

Thousands of hours and millions of dollars are spent each year by retailers and CPG companies to resolve conflicts and discrepancies caused by mis-matched and out-of-date item data. Now, all that is about to change.

For "complexity masters," the world can be a dependable supplier and profitable market. But lackluster business performance is an unpleasant side effect for companies ill prepared for globalization and mounting value-chain complexity.

As corporations turn a strategic eye on sourcing operations, they increasingly realize the need to better manage and enforce their numerous contracts. In may ways, this is old news for transportation and logistics, where contract management tools and processes already are well established, though still underused.

Ten best practices in supply-chain planning, culled from conversations with leading supply-chain executives, analysts and vendors - the first of a series of six "Best Practices" articles to be presented this year.

With a re-energized effort under way to formalize Collaborative Transportation Management, lots of people are looking at ways to make carriers part of the collaborative process.