Analyst Insight: SaaS and new enterprise software offerings have created a new dynamic for enterprise software selection as opposed to traditional software selection. The cloud evaluation process for software and services must consist of different and a more focused approach, including such factors as importance of methodology, model differentiation, industry-specific expertise and total cost of ownership.

Analyst Insight: The number one strategy for companies in the chemical and energy industries is to improve demand orchestration as the economy recovers. Planning processes must manage pricing, capacity allocation, and inventory positioning to manage margins. In addition, operational processes must have visibility and business rules to manage commitments and respond to volatility. These industries are more mature than others in their approach to asset management, energy management and compliance.

Analyst Insight: With broad and expandable carrier networks, outsourced service providers seem well positioned to either make educated decisions as a provider of outsourced carrier selection services or to serve as an educator of shippers, to inform them of available options and potentially provide competitive performance information.