Supplier selection is now a global concern, with competition coming from countries all over the world. Circumstances like hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis have a negative impact on the movement of products from country to country (and even between companies in the same country). Investigate such international supply chains and answer the following questions:

• When determining the supplier who should be used in procuring a product, to what extent does location (proximity to the customer) impact the desirability of a supplier?
• What factors can offset (at least partially, if not entirely) the lack of desirability of a location (in terms of its proximity to the customer)?
• How is supplier selection related to the execution of a successful corporate strategy?
• What company is well known for its successful or tightly integrated supply chain relationships? Cite a source for your suggested company to document that the company is thought to do well in the competitive environment.