In early 2016, analysts predicted positive trends and a big trade uptick. Instead, global trade volumes fluctuated and consumer spending diminished, worldwide protectionism and de-globalization became evident and supply chain risks were enhanced, which left importers and exporters scrambling to stay on course.

As we move into 2017, global trade management executives need to brace against disrupters that have the potential to send supply chains into a tailspin. The industry must address the same imperatives — speed, quality, cost, risk and agility — yet doing it alone isn’t an option. The key is investing in technology and making process changes in advance.

Global e-commerce is growing in leaps and bounds, particularly in emerging markets, where consumers can find it hard to locate affordable imported products in local shops. As the trend of cross-border commerce increases, many companies are embracing e-commerce to fulfill the demands of customers worldwide seeking products not available at local brick-and-mortar stores. However, these significant global sales opportunities also present the challenge to deliver a positive customer experience while combatting high
shipping fees, hidden costs, import and export regulations, and product restrictions.

When it comes to software designed to streamline supply chains, there’s old global trade management, and then there’s the new.The old school global trade management (GTM) systems automate processes that begin when shipments are ready to go, moving them from Point A to Point B in a timely manner at the lowest possible cost while ensuring complete and accurate import/export documentation for shipments. The new GTM automates processes way upstream, even at the product design and component sourcing stages, focusing on risk and quality management, while facilitating compliance with various product regulations.

Logistics and supply chain managers are partly responsible for the unfairly low profile that their operations have in the overall corporate structure. 

We need to talk about supply chain management - and, more specifically, the role of logistics within the supply chain - in a way that honors the far-reaching effect of those activities throughout a company's operations. On the one hand, there is still a lack of awareness in the boardroom; not surprising when you consider how rare it is, even now, to find a C-level logistics or supply chain exec there. But global logistics and supply chain managers, also, are partly responsible for the unfairly low profile their operations maintain within the corporate structure. In short, they fail to recognize their roles in the broader context.

Continued from Chapter 9: Validating the Return on Investment

Global trade has become increasingly complex over the past decade. In order to remain competitive and continue to grow, organizations must take full advantage of the global economy. Unfortunately, many global trade executives admit they have serious difficulty managing their international supply chain.

Fortunately, real help is available!

What just happened? The global trade landscape changed dramatically when the enervating U.S. Presidential election ended. While the results shocked many around the world, the potential shifts in trade policies under President-Elect Trump are obvious.  Even in the first few days following his win, direct and unmistakable anti-trade sentiments have resounded from the incoming leader. The change in administration is sure to bring the dismantling of existing trade agreements, scrapping of pending agreements and a lack of focus on easing cross-border trade overall.

Continued from Chapter 8: Training and Advisory Services

Trade compliance is critical to ensuring that an organization’s international orders and imported goods comply with the trade regulations of both the country of export and the country of import. Yet only a small percentage of global companies have implemented a formal trade compliance program for their global shipments.

The ninth video in our series explores how companies can lower cost and increase efficiency to achieve a sustainable competitive edge.

Global supply chains have been pulled tight, contracted, and at times broken during 2016. As we move into 2017, global trade management executives need to brace against disrupters that have the potential to send your supply chain into a tailspin: What will US trade policy look like? How can my supply chain handle new security risks? What, if anything, will happen to the TPP?

Join Amber Road's Global Trade Academy for our webinar, 2017: Bracing for Instability in Global Trade, on Wednesday, December 7, at 2PM EST to hear thought leaders answer a few of these questions.

Continued from Chapter 7: Global Knowledge®

An ever-increasing demand to do more with less means companies are directly turning to automation to streamline their operations and to ensure greater efficiency. However, the best content and practices in the world are only useful if you have people in place who understand it and can put it to use.

From distribution centers to global trade, supply chain management relies heavily on an ever evolving suite of technologies that help increase efficiency and productivity. Bridget McCrea in her recent article for SupplyChain 247, Supply Chain Execution Software, took a deep dive into the various types of technology being employed and the driving market forces behind the critical role supply chain execution (SCE) software plays in supply chain processes.