Analyst Insight: The decision to initiate or continue global sourcing is not a simple one to make. Organizations have many factors to consider, both external and internal, and those factors can change. Organizations must revisit their sourcing strategy often to ensure that they are maintaining the best value. - Becky Partida, knowledge specialist, APQC

Omni-channel commerce has put the consumer in the driver's seat, with the ability to shop anywhere, buy anywhere and receive products in the manner and time of their choosing. While this revolution has been a great convenience to consumers, it has left many retailers scrambling to develop a seamless operation that not only delivers the consumer's expectations regardless of channel but does so profitably. Therein lies the rub.

Analyst Insight: The awareness of supply chain finance (SCF) in emerging markets is growing. Most recently, foreign importers of goods manufactured in emerging markets, procure-to-pay software providers and financial institutions have been driving increased activity globally. Companies in emerging markets, especially in the small and medium-sized segment, stand to achieve business gains with better understanding of their end-to-end financial supply chains and proper application of available SCF strategies and solutions. - Viktoria Sadlovska, managing director and CRO, Prameya Research

Analyst Insight: Today's supply chains are efficient, and inflexible. Market conditions change, but planning continues based on historical information. Global supply chains need better planning, but traditional technologies are not up to the task. New technologies are emerging to help to fill the gap. We are entering the era of Big Data Supply Chains that will sense before responding and learn before acting. - Lora Cecere, partner, Altimeter Group