Analyst Insight: Supplier relationships and the management of them are critical to business. The strength of the relationship is two vs. one, transparency, collaboration and innovation. Real value is extracted when buyers and suppliers work together. Not surprisingly, businesses focused on supplier relationship management (SRM) lead their peers five to one in terms of value derived from their supply base. - Mickey North Rizza, VP of Strategic Services, BravoSolution

Sixty percent of supply chain managers say their organization is too focused on internal, tactical concerns to be able to collaborate effectively with external partners, at a time when globalization is forcing companies to view and use their supply chain more effectively.

Analyst Insight: As technology platforms become more sophisticated, affordable, secure and widespread, they are poised to become useful tools in spurring collaboration along the supply chain. In fact, when coupled with collaborative buyer-supplier agreements, it could become a primary factor that makes collaboration a reality instead of just an aspiration. - Kate Vitasek, faculty member of the University of Tennessee's College of Business Administration

Consumer packaged goods companies and retailers are natural allies. They have many of the same objectives - increased sales, cost savings, optimized processes and systems, and happy customers - and already work together in many parts of the world. But in emerging economies, such collaboration has yet to take off.

Analyst Insight: Collaboration is widely identified by supply chain analysts as a critical trend for supply chain execution. But it is one thing to "say" collaboration and quite another thing to get it right and garner real results from your efforts. For the best results, think of collaboration and integration together. And don't be afraid to contract for collaboration. - Kate Vitasek is a faculty member of the University of Tennessee's Graduate Center for Executive Education.

Analyst Insight: Supply chain efficiencies and dynamics are tested daily by the heightened need for companies to meet a growing set of demands. As efficiency and consumer demand converge, visibility grows in importance and can only be brought about through collaboration. What makes visibility and collaboration between stakeholders possible is a common language of standards that can enable supply chain participants to understand and act on information with agility and precision. Industries achieve remarkable progress together. – Siobhan O'Bara, Senior Vice President of Industry Engagement, GS1 US

Analyst Insight: Alignment is the positioning of parts so they are in their proper position to run correctly – as in car parts. Alignment is also the ability to optimize the business results by aligning people, programs and business processes. According to Supply Chain Insights, Alignment continues to be one of the top three supply chain business initiatives in 2015. – Mickey North Rizza, VP Strategic Services, BravoSolution

Talk all you want about the deeper aspects of supplier-buyer relationships. But doesn't it always come down to price?

Competition within the supply chain industry is fierce. Internal executives, third-party providers and industry consultants all have their own special sauce strategies to navigate the twists and turns of the supply chain. Touting a company's strength is important for shareholders and marketing efforts. But value can be generated by recognizing operational deficiencies, and seeking out partner companies with complementary competencies. By this initiative, both companies capture or retain the ultimate prize - the customer. Sometimes a company's best choice for a partner is the least expected or desired - a competitor.