Analyst Insight: The true value of supplier relationship management is not what you think. It isn't just about managing a bi-directional relationship between the buyer and supplier – it's about managing the extended supply network (customers' customers and suppliers' suppliers). In today's business, the best network of relationships achieves optimal results; thus, managing the supplier relationship is not only critical to success, it's mandatory if full value is to be extracted for both the buyer and the supplier. – Mickey North Rizza, BravoSolution

Ryder System Inc. has introduced the Ryder On-Demand service for vehicle maintenance and repair (M&R) in Canada.

Analyst Insight: As the concept of supply chain risk management matures into a discipline, we witnessed that most disciplines need frameworks to ensure initial success and sustainability. This is holding true for the growth and maturity of SCRM. The Association for Operations Management, or APICS, has embraced SCRM by working with the Risk Consortium to create a first-of-a-kind certificate in SCRM, providing a solid baseline for what a framework is and how it supports a successful supply chain journey. – Gregory L. Schlegel, Founder, The Supply Chain Risk Management Consortium, Adjunct Professor, Supply Chain Risk Management, Lehigh University, and Adjunct Professor, Enterprise Risk Management, Villanova University

Analyst Insight: Supply chain risk management is an evolution of business processes, techniques and focus over a multitude of elements. As supply chains have evolved to value chains, so too have the methods for supply chain risk management. Value chain risk management requires a broader integrated strategy, focused on reducing the risk at each point in the value chain, while balancing risk and resiliency. – Mickey North Rizza, BravoSolution

Analyst Insight: Alignment is the number one strategy to increase business value. Alignment is realized when the business strategy, functions, employees, business processes and technology are optimized for growth and profitability resulting in substantial shareholder returns. Procurement’s opportunity for excellence begins with alignment to the business and the broader enterprise strategy. – Mickey North Rizza, BravoSolution

It looks as though we're in for a year of continued economic recovery and job growth, however gradual. That should be good news for ocean carriers - assuming they don't undermine their own success by flooding the market with capacity, then engaging in rampant discounting to fill it.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has laid out a five-year path to sustainability.

Analyst Insight: The titans of business, Amazon and Walmart, are doing an awesome job of growing their companies and transforming the way the marketplace functions. They're innovating supply chain operations and how they are responding to the needs of the customer. They're creating tremendous disruptions that are forcing everyone to play catch up. Lastly, they are on the offensive. They are creating benefits for their customers at such a rate that all other companies are playing at a disadvantage. - Jim Tompkins, CEO, Tompkins International