The dot-com era is virtually synonymous with "over-hyped trends" - trends that didn't last. However, after the proverbial dot-com bubble burst, B2B technology proved tenacious, and now, B2B has grown into a "healthy market for systems to manage supply chains."

B2B technology, including software, web-based applications, RFID tags, and data storage, assists companies in managing their supply chains, by nature complex, interdependent, and dependent upon real-time data sharing. According to Jerry Hill, Director of Supply Chain Solutions for Teradata, "since all supply chains involve direct points of contact between partners," there is a great need for "a shared view of the supply chain." With the ability to "capture, retain, and expose all raw data," suppliers can "view data to gauge how their components affect factory yields. . . tweak their outputs based on changes in demand. . . and react instantly."

According to this article, reprinted from Investor's Business Daily, "the market for supplier relation software is growing at 5.2% per year," and "global sales are anticipated to rise from $3.5 billion in 2005 to $4.2 billion by 2009." The article highlights several B2B vendors, including Teradata, SAP, and Oracle, and includes a brief summary of Wal-Mart's use of RFID.