Analyst Insight: The pressures faced by the pharmaceutical industry are well known. These include the increasing cost of healthcare, the aging of the population in the developed world, market entry hurdles in many emerging markets, excess manufacturing capacity, reimbursement decisions based on comparative effectiveness research, and the continued adoption of generics and bio-similars. Another well-known about the industry: change occurs at a glacial pace. What role does the supply chain have in helping the industry transition to a solution-oriented approach to healthcare? – Barry Blake, Vice President, Research, SCM World

In 2014, organizations were caught off guard by the increase in advanced threats targeting vulnerabilities within business-critical applications running on SAP platforms. Everything from malware being loaded up on RFID devices and being inserted into the manufacturing process, to high-risk "denial of service" vulnerabilities are challenging organizations to re-think their current approach to protecting critical data.

Analyst Insight: There are exciting developments in technologies and processes in the area of network design. Currently, both processes and technologies are rapidly evolving, offering exciting opportunities. It is one of the most critical investments for supply chain leaders in 2015. – Lora Cecere, Founder of Supply Chain Insights

Global companies are wasting more than $30bn (£20bn) a year because they do not share information about suppliers, according to business information provider Achilles.

Analyst Insight: The supply chain discipline has evolved quickly over the past two decades. What once was a straightforward technical profession has now become a complex business leadership role. Recent data shows that finding the right people keeps getting harder. Supply chain leaders need tools to develop and retain talent that can not only plan, source, make and deliver, but also drive change, react to markets and innovate. – Kevin O'Marah, Chief Content Officer, SCM World

What will the typical factory look like five years from now?

For most business leaders, it's difficult to make any decision without letting bottom line bias come into play. Globalization, in addition to evolving social, economic and regulatory trends, has elevated corporate competition to a new playing field altogether. For procurement departments in particular, cutting costs, doing more with less, and running agile operations are the new standards for success.

Analyst Insight: Automation and efficiency in corporate accounts payable is opening up new opportunities that simply are not possible in a paper-based environment. Chief among these is the opportunity to design payment programs that accelerate funds to suppliers – and provide significant working capital benefits to buyers as well. – Scott Pezza, Principal Analyst at Blue Hill Research

Analyst Insight: SCM World's 2014 CSCO Study shows health and safety is the number one sustainability issue for the fourth straight year. With ethical issues and product integrity coming in a close second and third, it is clear that disconnected sustainability efforts have truly evolved into integrated social and environmental responsibility (SER) initiatives. – Matt Davis, SVP Research at SCM World