Companies face constant pressures to make effective capital planning decisions. Complex businesses like running a refinery, chemical plant or power station are no different. Therefore, being able to see the bigger economic picture is vital in effectively managing operational maintenance, regulatory requirements, energy efficiency and sustainability goals.
Until recently, China's internet economy was consumer driven. The country leads the world in the number of internet users, and Chinese enterprises deploy sophisticated e-commerce strategies. The same companies, though, have lagged behind the United States and other developed nations in using the internet to run key aspects of their businesses. That's changing.
Once again, ChainLink Research and SupplyChainBrain are conducting research into the business challenges companies are confronting and what strategies and solutions they plan to use to address those issues.
Retailers estimate that they will lose $3.8bn to return fraud for the 2014 holiday season, up from last year's $3.4bn estimate, according to a recent National Retail Federation (NRF) survey. Retailers also estimated that 5.5 percent of all holiday returns are fraudulent, similar to last year's 5.8 percent.
Item-level intelligence requirements spur the growth of RFID across sectors such as industrial, manufacturing, retail, transportation, security, healthcare and consumer applications. RFID has quietly crossed the chasm exhibiting a stable - yet still innovative - market. So what will drive the market in 2015?
Harvard researchers have announced a 3D printer capable of printing both thermoplastics and highly conductive silver inks that allow electronic products to be created on one process.
Less than half of retailers currently offer order fulfillment solutions
like in-store pickup or ship-from-store to consumers, but 2015 provides a chance to improve their business operations and invest in technologies that will improve the bottom line and create unforgettable customer shopping experiences in all channels. Shopatron, a provider of cloud-based distributed order management solutions, says retailers must view 2015 as the year when omnichannel commitment becomes the priority.
China will be the focus of many, many boardroom discussions around the world in 2015. Unlike most previous years, the topic won't be whether to double down on China - it will be whether to hold or even reduce exposure to a particular sector or the country overall. With China experiencing lower growth, greater competition, and more volatility, it won’t only be multinational companies having these conversations.