Until recently, projects were largely initiated by and implemented for IT departments, rather than business, and the focus was primarily on eliminating silos and moving from departmental to enterprise programs. That focus has shifted and the shift has led to a $14bn global market for business intelligence software in 2013"”one expected to eclipse $17bn by 2016, according to Gartner Group estimates.

While the press and many companies continue to marvel at the sheer volume of data being generated and captured in the internet era, forward-leaning corporations have already recognized that big data's transformative potential to generate value in both the digital and physical realms will go largely unrealized unless it's complemented by speed. Fast data can unlock the value-creating power of big (and small) data.

The air cargo industry's slow migration toward electronic documentation has led the International Air Transport Association to revise its internal deadlines for a second time.

Technology has empowered customers in such a way that they are now in charge of the business relationship - a fact that's left many businesses playing catch-up. Companies and supply chains that fail to realize this risk losing customers if they don't respond to their needs.