Companies dream of one cohesive supply chain that can harmonize information and business processes worldwide. But what if your customers' needs in regional markets are so different as to make that dream impossible?

One could imagine European bankers emitting a collective sigh of relief over the latest election results in Greece, whose citizens last week gave a narrow edge to the conservative New Democracy party. In the process, they ratified the controversial $220bn bailout plan that is intended to keep Greece in the eurozone and avert economic disaster throughout the European Union.

You've seen it in movies, and possibly in real life as well. A desperate gambler, down to his last chance, stakes everything he has on one play. And while the scene makes for great drama, it rarely goes well. The lesson: never bet the store.

The maker of sophisticated medical equipment had reached a "plateau" in its efforts to boost customer service and optimize costly inventory within its global operation. Then it found a way to climb higher.

A conversation with Gregory L. Schlegel, adjunct professor of supply-chain risk management at Lehigh University.

Each disruption in global supply chains seems to bring a new surprise. On March 31 of this year, it was an explosion and fire at a chemical plant in Marl, Germany. The incident at the factory of Evonik Industries resulted in the deaths of two workers and caused damage that will take all summer to repair.