Analyst Insight: Information technology tools have played a large role in advancing the efficiency of product development over the past 20 years. In terms of helping organizations opening lines of communication and better integrating product development with essential supply chain and manufacturing processes, however, the impact has been less impressive. – Pierfrancesco Manenti, Vice President, Research, SCM World

Analyst Insight: Car ownership in developing economies is on the rise. By 2020, annual world vehicle production could reach 85 to 90 million units. That will mean another 75 to 100 plants, each producing around 300,000 cars a year, will be needed, essentially in or close to the world's fastest-developing countries. Automakers have to create new global production strategies to serve these multiple diverse markets. – Pierfrancesco Manenti, Vice President, Research, SCM World