Analyst Insight: Maturation of inventory management in organizations often follows a somewhat linear path from the technical basics of planning to the organizational issues encountered in sales and operations planning (S&OP). Coordination between product development and planning may not be the last hurdle, but it has been a major stumbling block that many mid-sized firms are increasingly overcoming.

Analyst Insight: With numerous events and shipments to monitor, where should a company begin and in what areas are today's leaders focused? A recent study of over 209 companies shows that top performers are focusing on inbound supply chain events and are reaping big benefits.

Analyst Insight: No one could miss the continued consolidation of supply chain planning applications in the last few years. In spite of the more traditional player consolidations, new firms and new approaches have emerged that have caught buyers' eyes, from demand creation and merchandising planning to richer analytic engines to help fine-tune forecasting accuracy, as well as on-demand delivery platforms for these solutions.

Analyst Insight: The number one strategy for companies in the chemical and energy industries is to improve demand orchestration as the economy recovers. Planning processes must manage pricing, capacity allocation, and inventory positioning to manage margins. In addition, operational processes must have visibility and business rules to manage commitments and respond to volatility. These industries are more mature than others in their approach to asset management, energy management and compliance.