Since the end of the tech bubble and 9/11, the number of breakthrough technologies supporting value chain management has increased significantly, especially those involving sensors and wireless. When these trends are combined with the monumental shift in global economies, the result is a new set of disciplines for global business leaders. Demonstrates How Connectivity Streamlines Company Processes This authoritative volume illustrates how companies, through the implementation of web-based and secure tracking technologies such as RFID and wireless sensors, can: Reduce costs Increase sales through connectivity to customers and markets Enable greater use of fixed assets Accelerate working capital turns Enable acquisitions Examines Impact of Tracking Technology on Global Shipping, Pharmaceutical, and Agribusiness Industries Using Technology to Transform the Value Chain provides specific reviews of existing technologies and supply chain activities and places special emphasis on the needed architecture for the accelerating extended supply chain. In addition to evaluating the costs and benefits of satellite communications, it also takes an in-depth look at how technology is transforming agribusiness by allowing for more efficient tracking of all livestock. The steps outlined in this seminal work help companies secure their competitive edge and produce groundbreaking change in the way the conduct business.