After a disappointing holiday season, Macy's Inc. said Wednesday that it planned to cut about 4,800 jobs and close 40 stores as part of efforts to slash costs.

Online shoppers are ready for a new wave of innovation in the e-commerce experience - and retailers had better be ready, too.

Manufacturers frequently ask themselves, "What if...?". What if a typhoon hits a major supplier in Asia and disrupts shipments? What if port workers go on strike in Long Beach? What if customers have expectations of order fulfillment within two days and you're losing sales to competitors? What if my inventory levels aren't sufficient to meet future demand for a product? What if I'm carrying excessive amounts of inventory that may turn to waste?

Organizations are faced with many critical challenges - including rapidly changing technology, environmental risks, regulatory and legal requirements, major shifts in markets, ethical breaches, and big data and cybersecurity issues - that threaten their long-term success and sustainability.