Catherine Cooper, executive vice president and chief information officer of OHL, lays out the potential pitfalls that can doom major projects, along with some tips on how companies can avoid them.

There are numerous opportunities to instill organizational excellence, both within the walls of the warehouse and in outside relationships throughout the supply chain, says John Giangrande, senior account executive with Fortna.

Even in a tough economy, companies are willing to spend money on new systems if a strong return on investment can be demonstrated, says Steve Simmerman, vice president of business development with Next View Software.

Lean is a popular concept with many manufacturers, but it hasn't been widely applied in a coherent fashion that leads to bottom-line benefits. Tony Gorski, chief executive officer of DemandPoint, has some ideas on how companies can rethink their approach to the subject.