Foremost in the minds of every supply-chain planner are those key words: What if?

It’s the kind of bad news best served with a stiff drink: the price of standard supermarket wines such as prosecco and pinot grigio could rise by up to 30 percent this year as the impact of 2017’s disastrous harvest is felt on the high street.

Advanced supply chains of today connect buyers and sellers in a digital manner for their order and shipments. Often the benefits of rigorous procurement policies between trading partners are ignored with pricing discounts, service levels and rigorous procurement protocols disregarded in an effort to just "get the business done." The buyer may get the raw materials ordered, but the products aren't of the typical quality at the right price. Communication and collaboration are lacking. -David Cahn, Director Product Marketing, Elemica

Transportation providers are jumping on the blockchain bandwagon in a big way.

Slowing growth, intensifying competition and rapidly changing consumer preference are creating rising cost pressures, driving major focus to reduce supply chain costs across industries. However, companies are stuck in an endless death spiral of cost cutting with little impact to the bottom line. Leading companies are breaking this cycle with ZBSC (zero-based supply chain)— a way to drive profitability by looking forward, continually improving bottom line results in a rapidly changing world. –Gary Hanifan, Managing Director, Accenture Strategy, Supply Chain & Operations Strategy