Analyst Insight: Manufacturers are under greater pressure to improve product reliability and reduce cost-of-quality non-conformance, while increasing product functionality. This can be done through increased use of software, mechatronic systems, new materials and manufacturing technologies. Still, more pressures await, as manufacturers struggle to reduce a product’s time-to-market, all while keeping capital investment low. Doing more with less requires manufacturers to reduce the time from detecting a product issue to correcting it, known as detection to correction (D2C). - Kevin Reale, Senior Manager, Advisory, Ernst & Young LLP

Analyst Insight: The next defining opportunity for supply chain is in digital operations. The scope of digital operations is enormous, and it presents amazing opportunities. But failure - either from moving too fast or too slow - may lead to redundancy or, in extreme cases, extinction. Companies must clearly understand where they are today to drive change successfully and must move with purpose. If they cannot, they will be history. - Peter Anderson, Principal, Advisory, Ernst & Young LLP, & Chekyiu Ng, Senior Manager, Advisory, Ernst & Young LLP

Analyst insight: As the global competitive landscape evolves, businesses are looking to gain an edge by leveraging big data, using sophisticated analytics to uncover insights and help drive performance. One industry that is behind the curve is manufacturing – primarily automotive, mining, life sciences and consumer packaged goods. But that may be changing as a result of a rekindled focus on improving operational efficiency and the necessity for organizations to utilize their supply chains as a competitive advantage. – Amber Morgan, Senior Manager, Supply Chain Analytics Lead, EY

Analyst Insight: There is a growing emphasis on the strategy and management of fleets in the U.S. due to regulatory changes, driver shortages, increased trucking costs and additional focus on customer service. To manage these challenges, companies must assess how best to leverage assets and design their networks to optimize their overall supply chain. – Aaron Pernat, Senior Manager, and Gary Allen, Executive Director, both of Ernst & Young LLP's Supply Chain Advisory Practice

Analyst Insight: A number of factors are drawing increased attention to the order-to-cash (OTC) process. Achieving a perfect order, one that is filled to completion and arrives at the customer undamaged and properly documented, is under stress from doing new ways of business and increasing customer expectations. - Alex Bajorinas and Jim Morton, both Senior Managers, Ernst & Young LLP