For almost 50 years, the operations/supply chain profession has been embracing the sales and operations planning process to balance supply and demand in complex supply chain networks. As a former S&OP process owner for three Fortune 100 manufacturers, I can identify with the challenges associated with developing the process and sustaining it as well. With more and more tools emerging, especially supporting solid supply chain risk management, the future looks bright for strategic S&OP. -Gregory L. Schlegel, CPIM, CSP, Jonah, Founder, The Supply Chain Risk Management Consortium, Executive-in-Residence, Center for Supply Chain Research, Lehigh University

While over 80 percent of companies have demand and supply planning, success has the same probability as a flip of a coin. How do companies improve the odds? Success may lie in the redesign of supply chain planning from the outside-in using cognitive planning. -Lora Cecere, Founder, Supply Chain Insights

Transportation providers are jumping on the blockchain bandwagon in a big way.

Slowing growth, intensifying competition and rapidly changing consumer preference are creating rising cost pressures, driving major focus to reduce supply chain costs across industries. However, companies are stuck in an endless death spiral of cost cutting with little impact to the bottom line. Leading companies are breaking this cycle with ZBSC (zero-based supply chain)— a way to drive profitability by looking forward, continually improving bottom line results in a rapidly changing world. –Gary Hanifan, Managing Director, Accenture Strategy, Supply Chain & Operations Strategy

While it's known that supply chain finance (SCF) provides cash flow predictability and control to buyers, it is less known that suppliers benefit from early payment of receivables with cash flow improvement and economic security. From investment grade suppliers to those on the tail end, suppliers of all sizes have seen the benefit of SCF realized through visibility via technology, payment flexibility and growing their own working capital to invest in growing their business. -Nathan Feather, CFO, PrimeRevenue