Backward-looking KPIs, especially those on safety stock, are a necessity in successful S&OP processes, says Erik Hjerpe of TreeHouse Foods, a private-brand food manufacturer. He explains why this is so and how TreeHouse employs a variety of safety stock strategies.

Ryan Martin, analyst for the Internet of Things and wearable technologies with 451 Research, reports on the state of the wearable tech market today, and details how it's being affected by the development of the IoT.

From self-driving cars, to intelligent assistants on smart phones, to IBM's Watson beating humans at Jeopardy, to potentially autonomous military weapons, the effects of increasingly sophisticated automation are undeniable. With leading companies like Google spending millions to acquire artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics start-ups, financial markets are also betting that AI will become a bigger part of our lives and society.

Honeywell has developed two new products for supporting operations in the warehouse and distribution center.

The shift toward omnichannel distribution has both positive and negative unintended impacts. On the positive side are opportunities to blend and leverage channels; on the downside are organizational and operational gaps. Steven DeFazio, executive vice president at Fortna, offers insights on both.

The focus of RFID in the supply chain has shifted from case tagging to item tagging, says Ann Grackin, CEO of ChainLink Research. Grackin explains why this is so and details other areas of the supply chain where RFID is being embraced.