Blue Ridge Inventory Group, LLC, a provider of optimization and analytics applications in the cloud, has introduced an integrated analytics tool, designed to help supply chains capitalize on data trapped in their software.

After a boost last year, the worldwide growth in IT spending will settle down to about 3 percent this year. That's a key takeaway from a new forecast by industry research firm Gartner.

In the '90s, ERP officially became a technology market segment challenging MRP, accounting and financial-only package sales. At the time, companies worried that they would confront major replacement challenges when their business changed, grew or (most often) new and better technologies came along, making a compelling argument and value opportunity to replace and migrate upward.

JustEnough Software, a vendor of demand-management applications for retailers, distributors and brand owners, has formed an alliance with the supply chain consultancy enVista.

AL-KO, a German producer of industrial air conditioners for airport hangars and other spaces, is employing a radio frequency identification solution to plan its production more precisely, by tracking the movements of parts between two production sites located 550 kilometers (342 miles) apart.

Enterprise software is big business. This becomes evident when you add up the costs of purchasing software licenses, implementing the system, migrating data, training employees, and maintaining the system. If your enterprise system doesn't meet your expectations, you risk running some of your investment down the drain. Unfortunately, it is quite common for companies to take shortcuts when determining their software needs, which often leads them to acquire a system that doesn't exactly match their business requirements.

IHS Inc., a provider of business information and analytics systems, has launched version 5.0 of IHS Standards Expert. The tool simplifies and expedites the process of finding and managing standards.

Cadec Global, a vendor of management systems for truck fleets, now integrates with CoPilot Truck 9, the latest navigation and routing tool from ALK Technologies.

Security has always been one of the forefront considerations within the mobile device industry. BlackBerry maker Research in Motion, for example, gained the attention of Wall Street bankers because of the financial industry's need for high levels of data protection and security, along with the convenience of mobile use. A lot of talk in the mobile industry focuses around software security through detection and preventative applications; however, very little seems to be said on embedded mobile device hardware security.

As the world of matching supply with demand has become a global challenge there is a need to approach the use of transportation mode, route and pricing in a much more dynamic and controlled way.