Despite investing significant time and money in current commerce solutions, the majority of marketers and IT professionals surveyed aren't confident in their capabilities. Nearly one third (30 percent) of brands in both B2B and B2C industries spent more than $2m for their current commerce site, and 44 percent say it took longer than a year to implement, according to the 2016 State of Digital Commerce Report from e-commerce solution provider CloudCraze.

Analyst Insight: The distribution center is taking on greater importance as a driver of growth and profitability. Top companies are investing in distribution operations to drive competitive advantage and gain market share. Many are leveraging today's technology to prepare for the distribution center of the future. But there is a next wave of technologies on the horizon - from wearables to mobile manufacturing to the Internet of Things. And the tipping point for these technologies is near. - Nikko Pianetto, Group VP of Integrated Technology Solutions, Fortna Inc.

Analyst Insight: The highly competitive pharmaceutical industry is innovating rapidly to meet the changing needs of an aging U.S. population. More than 10,000 baby boomers are turning 65 every day, a pattern that will continue for at least 14 years and equating to over 50 million by the year 2029. As such, how and where consumers obtain and receive pharmaceuticals will change, and logistics will be a driving force behind these movements. -- Kim McQuilken, Chief Operating Officer, Spend Management Experts

Analyst Insight: The past few years have seen IT systems moving away from advances in individual functionality to interoperability with complementary systems. Also, there's been a greater emphasis on "democratization" of applications - improving accessibility through cloud-based architectures, mobile computing, lower pricing models and improved user interfaces. We have also seen end products themselves becoming ever smarter through embedded software, making them able to react to their environment and transmit information back to supporting systems. -- Tony Christian, Director, Cambashi

The global penetration of embedded and hybrid factory installed OEM telematics in new passenger cars will exceed 72 percent by 2021, according to ABI Research.

Trac Intermodal has joined Gary Chilo, founder of Blocking and Tackling LLC, in creation of the Intermodal Data Hub.

Analyst Insight: The connected nature of today's business environment is driving exponential growth in data, which is subsequently driving improvements in advanced analytic capabilities and the opportunity to leverage advanced analytics in manufacturing processes. For industrial manufacturing firms, capturing real-time data relative to asset performance and condition enables predictive maintenance and helps to realize productivity improvements and cost savings by reducing unscheduled downtime and optimizing asset performance. - John Santagate, Research Manager, IDC

Analyst Insight: The growth of IoT (the Internet of Things) will impact supply chains dramatically in the long run. Increasingly instrumented and connected manufacturing plants, warehouses, vehicles, and the products themselves will provide very precise, real-time 'X-ray vision' into what is happening in the plant, on the road, and in the field. - Bill McBeath, Chief Research Officer, ChainLink Research