INDEXPage 2 SummaryPage 3 IntroductionPage 4 Main issues related to the supply chain in the Hewlett Packard-UPS case studyPage 6 Strategies for the futurePage 8 Conclusion1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe concept of the supply chain is closely linked to the collaboration concept. A supply chain by its nature involves the interaction of two or more companies, sharing resources, risks and capabilities and working jointly to achieve higher business performance. Therefore, companies involved in a supply chain structure must ensure collaboration between their partners by applying the following interventions: - Appropriate performance measures: provide information on the results of system efforts to supply chain members - Integrated policy intervention: replace local policies that prevent supply chain members from achieving overall profitability - Information sharing environment: provide adequate visibility to all members - Incentive alignment: so that the behavior of all members is aligned with the The overall objective of the chain The levels of collaboration required increase as the context in which businesses are embodied becomes increasingly complex. Most companies are going through or have already gone through a process of transformation in the way they do business: from integrated companies to the fragmentation of their supply chains, which leads to the need to rely on third-party specialists. Both characteristics of dependency and collaboration between supply chain members involve the concept of trust. When a company trusts its partner it means that the company has positive expectations about its partner's motivations. If one of the members has reason to believe that his partner is motivated only by individual success and self-interested goals, it is very likely that the dependence and collaboration will not be realized and the relationship will probably end. Another trend in today's markets is the expansion of the company's operations into different countries, either because they start purchasing products from suppliers located in another country, or because they start selling their products to customers around the world. Operating in a global context can bring many advantages to the company such as access to better quality raw materials or increased sales; but to enjoy these benefits many challenges must be overcome due to the complexity involved in a global supply chain. And the more complex the conditions surrounding the relationship between partners, the greater the risk to which they are exposed. And greater risk means increasing demands for collaboration, cooperation, alignment and trust. The complexity of the global market lies not only in the fact that many different factors influence the business, but also that these factors are more likely to change over time and space.