One sign of the growing importance companies place on continuing education for their supply chain executives: The Georgia Institute of Technology says enrollment is up 30 percent in its Executive Masters in International Logistics program.

Students come from among the bestknown names in business; managers attending this fall's program hail from Intel, Ford, General Motors, BAX Global, Exel, Motorola, Hewlett Packard, BellSouth, Kuehne & Nagel and The International Red Cross. The program, aimed at senior-level supply chain executives, takes 18 months to complete. During that period, students participate in five two-week residencies at locations around the world.