The trends favor a centralized inventory under one roof, but the question whether it is the most effective response to the challenges of multichannel distribution persists.

Whether it's perishable food being delivered to a restaurant in time for the evening dinner prep, medical supplies on the way to a pharmacy, or a specialty car part on its way to the dealership's repair shop, getting products to consumers on time and in great condition is the single most important task of suppliers and the customers they serve. Even one component of an order that is misplaced or damaged along its route can be the difference between a happy customer and one who takes his business elsewhere.

Drone delivery, anyone? We're not completely there yet, but while we wait for products to fall from the sky, businesses need to maintain a competitive edge by outsourcing fulfillment to the right provider.

Today's complex and connected supply chain translates into quick communication with partners. At the same time, it creates huge opportunity for data leakage and security issues that need to be addressed proactively in supply chain systems.

Over the past few decades, the electronics components industry has seen countless companies pursue production overseas in an effort to reduce costs. OEMs have gone abroad to find the best value-added locations for building boards via offshoring: mainland China, Southeast Asia, and more recently Eastern Europe. However, this trend is shifting.

Nothing focuses a supply chain manager's mind like discovering a way to improve the supply chain network. Given this, a new Ernst & Young survey should interest supply chain managers. It reveals that, when chief financial officers (CFO) and supply chain leaders form a closer business partnership within a company, they report better results in a number of areas, including the company's financial position.

Looking for a way to make your supply chain more efficient? You might want to consider reusable packaging.

In today's globalized economy, supply chain professionals work together to deliver products to the end customer while working with different organizations and different business units within the same organization. During this process, supply chain managers face a challenge in controlling inventories and costs while maximizing customer service performance.

Technology executives are the biggest buyers from a mobile device, with more than two-fifths reporting they use mobile to research transactions greater than $100,000, according to a Forbes Insights and Google survey of 511 executives.