Trust and a sharing of risk and reward are the hallmarks of an outsourcing agreement that took the two companies beyond the concept of "price per activity," to one that strives for mutual profitability and enhanced customer service.

Analyst Insight: In recent years, due to the changing and challenging global economy, there has been much talk about the need to balance natural competitive pressures with collaborative engagement across the supply base. The trick, of course, is how to do both things - competition and collaboration - effectively. I believe it starts with trust. - Kate Vitasek, faculty, University of Tennessee's Center for Executive Education, and Founder, Supply Chain Visions

Analyst Insight: Even a solid collaborative relationship between the buyer and the supplier can struggle if the consumer somehow gets lost in the cloud or pigeonholed on a complicated supply chain dashboard. The key is to listen to your customers constantly and set up communications frameworks within an adaptable governance structure to include and maintain a customer-centric focus. - Kate Vitasek, faculty, University of Tennessee's Center for Executive Education, and Founder, Supply Chain Visions