China said it doesn’t fear a trade war with the U.S. and announced plans for reciprocal tariffs on $3bn of imports from the U.S. in the first response to President Donald Trump’s ordering of levies on Chinese metal exports.

Foremost in the minds of every supply-chain planner are those key words: What if?

Expectations of supply chain functions continue to intensify. As organizations face rapidly shifting markets, quality/reliability concerns, sustainability demands, and natural disasters and regional instability, suppliers represent a key strategic resource for enabling responsiveness, innovation, risk and cost reduction, and corporate social responsibility. Supply chain functions and procurement teams must move beyond a cost focus in supplier relationship management to develop mutually beneficial, collaborative partnerships. -Marisa Brown, Senior Supply Chain Principal Research Lead, APQC