To make multi-echelon inventory optimization more impactful, it must take a more holistic approach that accounts for the implications of inventory decisions on total supply chain costs, for organizational realities and weaknesses in supporting functional areas.

Core high-tech consists of semiconductors, contract & design manufacturing, original equipment manufacturing, consumer electronics, and telecommunications. Most companies in this segment are highly impacted by the economic downturn, trying to reduce working capital, and segmenting product decisions based on profitability.

High-tech organizations have evolved their supply chains that specialized in flow of materials into supply-demand networks where information flow is more critical to manage. This has resulted in high-tech supply chains to be asset lite and information heavy. There is a need to cash this information into tangible business value through the creation of a flexible and responsive supply chain.

There is nearly unanimous recognition of the need for supply chain transformation driven by factors such as the globalization of supply, increasing competitive pressures, and dwindling product life cycles from companies. This transformation's initial state is the linear supply chains of the past and the final state is a dynamic multi-enterprise business network.

2009 is certainly shaping up to be a difficult year for manufacturers. Tight credit markets, poor consumer confidence and retail sales, along with low manufacturing activity, suggests that overall supply chain investment activity will be reduced and cost-savings activities will be prioritized.

As the financial crisis ripples through the global economy, supply chains will need to re-invent themselves and deal with uncertainty at all levels: economic, financial and regulatory. The need to balance short-term needs with long-term investments in global supply chains will add significant uncertainty to global supply chain operations.

Companies and their logistics service providers need to reduce their international transport and logistics costs. Despite the uncertainties of the current business environment, they can apply both old and new techniques.

Traditional demand management approaches fail miserably in providing companies with an accurate depiction of predicted demand.

Staying afloat during times of economic challenge may require companies to rethink the way they have traditionally conducted their businesses. Finding ways to standardize and streamline processes may be essential to reducing costs within the demand/supply chain planning functions.

As we become increasingly globalized, with more tiers and more hands touching the ingredients in our end-to-end food supply chain, the need for food traceability will only increase.