Imagine if you had total, real-time information about the state of your physical and mental health. You’d be walking around with constantly updated data on all your vitals, continual blood analysis, measures for stress, alerted to any early signs of cancer or infections. In some ways, we&

(Editors’ note: This is the fifth of a five-part series of articles about the journey to creating an end-to-end business network that enables demand-driven supply capabilities.)All stakeholders in market-based ecosystems stand to realize breakthrough opportunities with the adoption of digitall

Business intelligence (B.I.) is a mandatory tool for businesses that wish to survive and thrive in the current economy. Regardless of the niche, every business needs real-time insight into the data created by its activities, in order to guide future decisions.B.I. connects the dots for managers and

Does the term “external workforce” describe an essential element of the way businesses must operate today? Or is an just an excuse to avoid paying workers full-time salaries and benefits?One thing is clear: the reliance on workers from outside the organization is on the rise. Research fr

Businesses work with third-party vendors for many reasons. Whether they use contractors to supplement the workforce, expand capabilities, or better serve customers, vendors are an essential part of daily operations.The best vendors do everything they can to keep their clients happy. Yet certain chal

Contract price misalignment is one of the leading causes of pricing issues in the healthcare supply chain, and among the most critical issues the industry faces today. Inefficiency and inaccuracy in contract pricing continue to create waste and drive up costs for all supply-chain players. Price disc

Artificial intelligence is already powerful, and continuing to grow. Everything from self-driving cars to social media is being defined by how fast technology can train machines to behave like humans, or perhaps even exceed them in capabilities.Enterprise applications based on advanced technologies

Iceland continues to act as a proving ground for the use of drones in package-delivery services.Last year, the Israeli company Flytrex began experimenting with drones in Reykjavik. It launched hundreds of flights that bypassed traffic congestion to deliver food and consumer goods to an outlying resi

Artificial intelligence has the potential to radically change just about everything for the better. Its impact is likely to match that of electricity and other general-purpose technologies that have enriched our lives. Early signs of its impact are already emerging in test cases with autonomous vehi

As of 2017, there were 4,289 colleges or universities in the U.S. Approximately 40 percent of those institutions are private. Because they don’t receive funding from state legislatures, private colleges must rely more heavily on student tuition and donations to cover operating costs. Typically

Importers bear the burden of complying with all U.S. laws and regulations when their goods enter the country. Failure to exercise reasonable care in this effort can result in long delays in the release of merchandise, and the imposition of stiff penalties.Relaying the information necessary for full

The internet of things offers businesses an unprecedented level of visibility and control over their supply chains. But it also opens the door to potentially crippling cyberattacks.A new study from the Ponemon Institute reveals a sharp increase in data breaches caused by unsecured, third-party IoT d

Digital process automation can create a platform for smarter supply-chain management. Organizations are turning to automation to reduce friction and costs, while balancing customer expectations and the needs of network stakeholders.As global supply chains become more complex, manufacturers the world

Global supply chains are becoming increasingly complex, as businesses juggle multinational suppliers and service providers, constantly shifting regulations, and more informed consumers demanding increased responsiveness and sustainability.This high level of complexity is a challenge for many organiz

(Editors’ note: This is the fourth of a five-part series of articles about the journey to creating an end-to-end business network that enables demand-driven supply capabilities.)The five stages of the maturity model for achieving digital transformation of the supply chain can be described as f

Safety and efficiency: it’s a constant balancing act for manufacturers and the supply chain.Keep the line running. Keep products moving. Optimize supplier relationships. But make sure it's done safely and in compliance with an ever-growing list of regulations.Frontline employees are the ul

Here’s what drivers, owner-operators and fleet managers need to know about passing intensive roadside inspections by federal regulators.As a truck driver, owner-operator, or safety manager of a fleet, you may be familiar with the word “audit.” There are three instances when a Feder

The old days of the Quality movement seem quaint in retrospect: the banners, the slogans, the prizes and team-building events. Today, quality management is all about information — or, more to the point, how to keep from getting buried in it.In the age of social media, there’s so muc

One of the biggest challenges facing anyone in supply-chain optimization is balancing complexity and resilience.The prevalence of digital connectivity in manufacturing means that getting a product assembled and shipped to the customer requires something that looks more like a network than a “c

Procurement teams using legacy tools often struggle to reach full potential and maximize their business impact. They can unknowingly fall behind competitors who are automating processes and driving innovation with modern-day software-as-a-service (SaaS) e-sourcing strategies.The benefits of modern s