The election of Barack Obama in the United States, the repercussions of the global "financial bailout" and a potential increase in environmental regulations will affect supply chain operations at multiple levels. The ability to quickly monitor and absorb these changes in supply chain structures will be the main agenda for 2009.

As the financial crisis ripples through the global economy, supply chains will need to re-invent themselves and deal with uncertainty at all levels: economic, financial and regulatory. The need to balance short-term needs with long-term investments in global supply chains will add significant uncertainty to global supply chain operations.

For the last three years global corporations have added "green" and "sustainability" to the supply chain agenda, in particular with respect to climate change and carbon footprint reductions. This trend coincided with unprecedented economic growth and record-breaking energy prices. With recession looming, supply chains will face their true commitment to the environment as they adjust operations.