Analyst Insight: Not sensing the upturn in the economy is almost as bad as being hit with the downturn. Value chains have slashed inventories in their effort to remain cash-positive. Some are already scrambling as their sales pick up but their inventory coffers are empty. It's not surprising that sales and operations planning initiatives have grown in importance.

Sales and operations planning is the cornerstone of being demand-driven and a foundational process to propel growth strategies. As companies drive growth-growth in the innovation of new products, growth through expansion into new geographies, and growth in core markets-they must align functions through S&OP.