On behalf of Andersen Consulting, I am delighted to present this edition of the Supply Chain Management Review Global Supplement.

This issue focuses on how supply chain management will be impacted by the rapid rise of e-Commerce. Every day, we are surrounded by media coverage of the Internet and enthusiastic speculation of brave new electronically enhanced worlds. In this kind of atmosphere, it is easy to revere true successes beyond their actual performance and to conveniently disregard disappointing failures.

We do believe that e-Commerce will have a truly significant impact on the world we live in, and particularly on the world of supply chain management. Predicting and preparing for that impact, however, requires a certain amount of real-world pragmatism. It is vitally important that these predictions are grounded in a deep understanding and experience of the operations, needs, and issues of today's global supply chains. Without such a grounding, the visions are destined to remain just that—visions.

In this Global Supplement, we have collected some fascinating thoughts from leading-edge thinkers and practitioners who understand supply chain management as intimately as they know the value of e-Commerce. We hope that you are as intrigued by the possibilities outlined in this issue as we are. We believe that the insights and information contained in these pages will help you prepare your supply chain for an exciting e-Enabled future—one that is very near indeed.