Importers and exporters were holding their collective breath last week, praying that negotiations for a new West Coast longshore labor contract wouldn't result in a temporary shutdown of the ports. But service providers were just as concerned about what happens if they stay open.

Is the use of nanotechnology in manufacturing and poisoning workers?

As the manufacturing industry spins its web across the world more and more, the network connecting businesses and their partners become much more complex. One of these areas most impacted is a company's supply chain, the main catalyst of one's ability to produce and distribute their products as efficiently and to as large and diverse of a customer base as possible. While this broadening supply chain ability certainly brings along many benefits, the ability to manage risk, particularly in the area of quality, becomes quite challenging.

Without question, creating sustainable global supply chains is a daunting challenge. But the biggest roadblock might be at the retail shelf.