First there was Black Friday. Then Cyber Monday. And now, Amazon.com's Prime Day. Why do retailers invite peak-demand headaches?

The boom in e-commerce is a global phenomenon, but each country has its own unique requirements for ensuring the smooth flow of shipments to the buyer.

From a technology perspective, the capabilities of drones are improving day by day - advancements in autonomous piloting, "sense and aware" technologies and increased battery life mean that delivery drones are now very much a potential for the future.

Lufthansa Cargo has assumed complete ownership of the time:matters Group, a specialist in global same-day delivery and time-critical international spare-parts logistics.

Leaders have to be nimble and agile if they are to keep on top of the evolution, particularly in the technology arena, that is roiling their vertical.

If our annual 100 Great Supply Chain Partners is about anything, it's about sending a giant thank-you note, in a very public way, to a business partner that has demonstrably helped your business. Whether the partner you single out for recognition is involved in logistics and transportation, technology or in some other aspect of supply chain management, their efforts helped you immeasurably while you concentrated on your core business. And they deserve a shout-out and a public salute.

Amazon has partnered with the UK government to explore making the delivery of parcels by small drones a reality.