Analyst Insight: The recent, highly publicized food incidents and drug recalls have eroded public confidence in the FDA's ability to protect consumers from harm. The goal of the new Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, is to restore public confidence in the process. To do so, she is enacting new procedures designed to enforce existing laws.

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.