  Our understanding of the transverse spin structure of hadrons might
definitely get improved by the information we gather on transverse momentum
dependent (TMD) distributions. These new functions could also be crucial for a
description of the observed transverse single spin asymmetries (SSA). In a hard
scattering model for inclusive hadronic reactions, based on a generalized QCD
factorization scheme, many mechanisms - namely the Sivers, Collins,
Boer-Mulders effects - might contribute to a SSA. We show how the k_T dependent
phases arising from the partonic kinematics together with a suitable choice of
experimental configurations could help in disentangling the above mentioned
effects. We discuss their potential role in two inclusive hadronic processes:
heavy meson and photon production in pp and p pbar collisions.
