Analyst Insight: As 2020 approaches, supply-chain improvement initiatives focused on meeting intense market demand while protecting profitability are crucial for companies. In response to this need, supply-chain analysts and consultants are finding innovative ways to leverage data and optimization tools to customize new strategies that encourage supply-chain flexibility, efficiency and sustainability. - John Richardson, vice president of supply chain analytics, Transportation Insight

Analyst Insight: Best-in-class organizations are tapping into the power of analytics to improve supply-chain performance and identify improvement opportunities. Organizations use analytics for scoring models for vendor performance, detailed demand forecasting, and safety stock recommendations, optimizing fulfillment logistics, creating predictive models of different failure conditions, inventory budget optimization, and many other supply-chain activities. Today’s complex supply chains require that leaders create a data-driven culture, both internally and externally with supply-chain partners. – Andrea Stroud, statistician, APQC

Analyst Insight: We have come a long way from the days where gut feel and years of industry knowledge ruled the day and drove critical decision-making. "Water Cooler Talk" seems a thing of the past, but to effectively work together, businesses must replace it with a new process. Face to face cross-functional team discussions are critical in helping teams learn to work together and communicate effectively. Welcome to sales and operations planning (S&OP). – M. Scott Moon, principal, Tompkins International

Analyst Insight: Global manufacturers must meet the growing number of "green" regulations that are focused on sustainability. From the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive to the United States Conflict Minerals Directive as well as the European Union (EU) directives of Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), manufacturers must comply with a multitude of regulations that can have a major impact on their business and their supply chain. – Chuck Cimalore, CTO, Omnify Software

Analyst Insight: Developing supply-chain strategy as a process versus a project has become critical to make necessary strategic decisions in today's dynamically changing e-commerce environment. As digital disruptions continue to evolve in the marketplace, leadership faces numerous challenging decisions to maintain and/or improve market share. Agility and creative thinking is required for you and your supply-chain evolution. – Dale Pickett, director, Tompkins International