Business is moving toward a model of empathy for a partner's organization and its goals, both commercial and fiscal, says Michael J. Stolarczyk, president of Kontane Logistics. A long-term, solid relationship built on that kind of collaboration ultimately pays off for all concerned.

Getting containers out of China timely and at a fair price is the single-biggest concern of shippers, says Tim Sensenig, executive vice president of Four Soft. But inadequate visibility, government regulations and determining what technology investments to make are very much on the minds of these executives as well.