The supply chain needs people. Desperately.

Are we on target for making zero-emission vehicles account for half of all cars sold in the U.S. by 2030? Not without enough rare earth minerals to build them.

Is there any room for actual collaboration between suppliers and buyers, based on more than just price?

A lot of factors go into the success or failure of consumer brands, but one of them stands out today: the supply chain.

You might think that the recent spate of supply chain disruptions would have caused a stampede of manufacturers out of China, or at least prompted them to diversify sourcing. But that hasn’t been the case.

Paul DeCotis, senior partner in the energy and utilities practice of West Monroe, says the money set aside by the infrastructure bill for electric vehicle development will have a huge impact on the future of that technology.

Marcus Haggard, associate in the law firm of Perkins Coie, offers advice to companies on how to ensure compliance by their suppliers with ethical labor standards.

Patrick Penfield, a professor of practice in supply chain management and director of executive education at the Syracuse University Whitman School of Management, offers a view into supply chain congestion, delays and pricing for the remainder of this year.

Nick Banich, chief revenue officer for North America with Miebach Consulting, Inc., relates how a combination of growing demand unpredictability and new technology tools is motivating supply chain managers to speed up the decision-making process.