When last year’s massive earthquake hit Japan, the effect on electronics production was severe, and it also resulted in extended business disruptions for many in the automotive industry. When Thai flooding created significant shortages in the hard disc drive market, manufacturers lost millions of dollars. When ash clouds from the Icelandic volcano darkened the skies over Europe, planes were grounded, interrupting business travel and disrupting air freight. And, when political turmoil in Egypt, Libya and elsewhere in the Mideast erupted, many businesses could only watch and wait to learn what it would mean for their supply chains.