The acceleration of global sourcing and selling activity and the increasing need to monitor multiple tiers of the supply chain to remain agile and cost competitive are challenging companies to rethink their business models and automation strategies for global trade. Companies participating in Aberdeen Group's global trade research report that the top two factors driving them to focus on improving their global trade management practices in 2007 are the need to more effectively manage growing international operations and distribution networks and the lack of critical supply chain process visibility. The top strategic action companies are looking to take is increasing their supply chain (logistics) agility - in order to be able to address the supply chain challenges faster and more effectively.

-Viktoriya Sadlovska, research analyst, AberdeenGroup