How would you like to spend substantial amounts of time and money on establishing an overseas supplier to manufacture your product - only to see that partner start competing against you with its own brand?

The global electronics contract manufacturing market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5.74 percent from 2012-2016, according to TechNavio analysts. One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the need for original equipment manufacturers to optimize resources. With the fast-paced product development environment of high-tech electronics manufacturers, creating a closed-loop, traceable collaboration process with their contract manufacturing partners and suppliers is key to product efficiencies, quality, compliance and meeting time-to-market goals.

Innovation of the Year: Disruptive technology products must get to market faster than ever, and a product innovation center at Flextronics reconfigures the supply chain to do just that. Runner-up: Sears Holdings Corp. Finalists: Intel, Fast Logistics, Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council

Getting your finished goods to customers damage-free is key, but it never hurts the bottom line to do that cost effectively and in an environmentally friendly manner. Intel accomplished all of that by changing how it packaged its products.