BravoSolution (Malvern, PA) – Skill building is essential to any sourcing organization. Teams that were downsized in recent years need the skills and support to absorb new sourcing volume faster than they will be able to add headcount to their teams. Look for partners that can work with you to create “lifetime learning programs” that help to support users with a balanced combination of classroom training, online training and a vibrant user community that works in concert to continually build both technology and business skills.

Ariba (Sunnyvale, CA) – Companies can mitigate brand, commodity and disruptive risks through the agility provided by service-based software delivery models.

CombineNet, Inc. (Pittsburgh)  – Being a trusted partner to suppliers now can nurture relationships and lead to “preferred status” when economic growth leads to capacity constraints.

Global eProcure (Clark, NJ) – With the rise of multiple low-cost supply and demand centers in developing economies, supply chain organizations must be flexible in sourcing raw material and distributing finished goods and services to these regions.

Iasta (Carmel, IN) – Companies who prepared themselves for supply risk created comprehensive risk management initiatives to deal with global supply threats during the economic downturn.

Insight Sourcing Group (Norcross, GA) – If you haven’t already negotiated better deals with suppliers, cut costs in important expenditure areas, and secured jobs for your employees, you’re behind the curve.

JVKellyGroup, Inc. (Huntington, NY) – Supply chain executives need to be concerned with and must manage and update their supplier contingency plans with much more rigor than before.

OnDemand Resources, LLC (McLean, VA) – Leveraging experienced project/interim resources on a temporary basis to deliver savings and efficiencies while keeping the organization nimble.

Genpact (Gurgaon, India) – Companies striving for best-in-class performance must take an end-to-end view to transforming their supply chain processes, addressing all segments of the supply chain and focusing on root causes to ensure a “one-time fix” rather a succession of “quick fixes.” This eliminates small incremental gains and helps realize the maximum possible improvements in a company’s working capital position and costs.

Puridiom (Mechanicsburg, PA) – As the economy regains steam, it will be easy for organizations to return to past practices. However, smart companies will use the “lessons learned” approach and continue with their improved spend management and increased sourcing initiatives that have enabled their survival and prepared them for the post-recessionary return to growth. With increased diligence and continuation of the strategies put in place during the recession, these companies will continue to grow and be prepared should such economic times occur again.