In today's retail environment it is vital to maximize return on inventory investment. To do that, retailers and their suppliers need to understand and respond to consumer desires in a more precise way than ever before. New technology is helping them succeed.

Matching shippers' needs and providers' capabilities during the selection process may be as important as the agreement spelling out the parties' rights and responsibilities.

The world may be getting flatter, but the challenge of managing global supply chains is more daunting than ever. Third in a series on best practices in supply chain management.