Blake Johnson, consulting professor with Stanford University, details the value that companies can derive from supply-chain risk and flexibility management, and how sales and operations planning can help.

Vitaly Glozman, partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers, outlines the current state and future of supply-chain operations in the biopharmaceuticals industry, with an eye toward achieving both short- and long-term goals.

The newest versions of Epicor Software Corp.'s enterprise resource planning (ERP) application and business software sold under the Epicor iScala brand will both support Microsoft Corp.'s SQL Server 2012.

Avnet Inc., a distributor of electronic components, computer products and related technology, has opened a full-service technology integration center in Joinville, Brazil.

Syspro, a vendor of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for small and mid-sized manufactures and distributors, has announced several new products. The company will soon be debuting an App Store which will extend the availability of its ERP offering within its partner and user community.

JustEnough Software, a vendor of demand-management applications for retailers, distributors and brand owners, has formed an alliance with the supply chain consultancy enVista.

Tim Jordan, associate director for supply chain management with MAP Pharmaceuticals, talks about the key elements involved in setting up a strategic sourcing program for global companies.

RedPrairie Corp. has released version 2012.1 of the RedPrairie Commerce Suite for retailers. The tool can be applied to all channels and multiple customer touch-points, the vendor said.

Following a boom in commercial aircraft orders in 2011, a year which saw the successful launch of the Airbus A320 NEO and the Boeing 737 MAX, the aerospace industry is now faced with having to deliver a huge backlog. According to a study of the aerospace and defense industry released by global business advisory firm AlixPartners, the industry must increase production rates by 45 percent in volume by 2015 if it is to meet demand, representing the industry's biggest challenge in the coming years.

As the world of matching supply with demand has become a global challenge there is a need to approach the use of transportation mode, route and pricing in a much more dynamic and controlled way.