SARS, smallpox, and business as unusual

Both China and the US faced potentially catastrophic biological events over the last year. One event was natural, SARS, and one was warfare related, smallpox. As each government faced up to these threats, policymakers and businesses had to adapt to rapidly evolving rules and events. The outcomes of both crises may lead CEO's to review, and perhaps re-write, a series of business practices including just in time inventory management, massive off-shoring, and centralized headquarters.