Mitigating the risk of sanctions under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is a core concern in every international commercial transaction, including cross-border distribution and franchising relationships.

With every crisis comes opportunity. The Great Recession, which choked off access to capital and placed suppliers around the world in economic jeopardy, triggered the growth of supply-chain finance programs, benefiting suppliers and buyers alike.

Movie heists often involve sophisticated tools and brilliant plans that depend on crack timing in order to succeed. Not so in real life.

A mixture of financial necessity and commercial reality is further forcing ocean carriers to return to providing core services only. Shipping lines are still being squeezed out of providing home-grown integrated logistics services. This is evidenced by Maersk's recent news that it has entered into an agreement to sell the assets of its U.S. trucking subsidiary, Bridge Terminal Transport.