On March 29, British Prime Minister Theresa May officially set into motion the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, beginning a two-year period of negotiation and closure. The clock is ticking.

Analyst Insight: Omnichannel is now the cost of entry, although it cannot be the core of your strategy to survive and grow in today's e-commerce environment. This is a defensive strategy. In this digital age you face more competition chipping away at your revenue and profitability. You must take advantage of e-commerce by growing into new retail market segments, experimenting with creating new retailer brands, and making acquisitions to expand into segments where your brand is lacking. - Steve Wilson, digital supply chain analyst, Tompkins International

Analyst Insight: Many countries have struggled to regain the economic prosperity they experienced before the 2008 financial crisis. Stemming from the frustrations of slow economic growth, a wave of populism is spreading across many countries, and perhaps one of the most startling results has been Brexit. Populism does not necessarily mean the end of globalization, but instead changing globalization that is evident as supply chains are adapting to the new environment. - John Haber, CEO, Spend Management

It was Amazon that drove America's warehouse operators into the robot business.