It’s fairly well documented that EDI and automated B2B processes can save money over manual, paper-based transactions. But just how much money are buyers and suppliers paying per EDI transaction, and are there ways to cut costs?

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For any logistics operation to be effective, it has to share information with the back-end systems that run most businesses. That is true for companies who run their own logistics, and for those who hire third-party logistics providers (3PLs) to manage some, or all, of their supply chains. But information-sharing takes commitment and seamless integration between multiple IT systems in geographically different locations. The good news is that 3PLs have begun implementing the necessary technology to share information—often in real-time—with their customers; and Web-based tools used by both the 3PLs and user organizations have made the systems integration much easier. Read more...

Working with Chinese trading partners has never been more complex, thanks to ongoing political strains and concern that unfair trade advantages are costing the U.S. millions of jobs. But trade between the two continues – according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Foreign Trade Statistics, between January and July 2010, the U.S. exported $48.5 billion to China and imported $193.9 billion in goods. Read more...