All eyes are watching the deteriorating political situation in Egypt. The recent civil riots in Port Said were, arguably, too close for comfort for those dependent on the Suez Canal. Although the arterial trade route is unlikely to close, the possibility cannot be ignored.

As businesses and governments implement cost-cutting and other efficiencies to help them recover from the deep recession, now is the time to consider collaborative purchasing as both a short- and long-term strategy to cut costs.

Undoubtedly businesses need to guard their end products against counterfeiting to protect their profits, their brands, their customers, and the financial health of their businesses. But fighting counterfeits cannot be fully effective without guarding supply sources - the materials and components used to manufacture the end products.

According to figures released by the U.S. Department of Commerce, retail sales exceeded expectations despite headwinds caused by extreme weather in the Northeast and a continued adjustment to higher payroll taxes.

Chinese and Indian consumers are living well and eating well. And that could spark a global crisis. The consumer boom in China and India will touch off global inflation and could lead to food and water riots if investment, policy and technology don't keep pace.

Analyst Insight: After traveling around the globe for the last three years, talking about supply chain risk management, facilitating workshops, educating companies and developing a graduate level class covering the subject, I'm thoroughly convinced this new concept is becoming the new discipline of supply chain excellence. So much so that APICS, the premier society for Operations Management professionals, has developed a first-of-its-kind certificate in supply chain risk management to help identify, assess, mitigate and manage risk. - Gregory L. Schlegel, Adjunct Professor, Supply Chain Risk Management, Lehigh University, Graduate Program

Analyst Insight: Highly regulated industries"”such as pharmaceuticals, aerospace, food, and chemicals"”typically implement traceability and serialization capabilities to meet regulatory requirements, quality, and recall purposes. These same capabilities can be useful in reducing theft within the supply chain. But it takes more than just technology. It requires a community that can share that information effectively and collaborate with law enforcement at national, state and local levels. -- Bill McBeath, Chief Research Officer, ChainLink Research