Analyst Insight: With the trend toward multichannel and omnichannel supply chains, pressure is mounting for inventories that were intended for one type of demand to be called on to serve another. This conflict can lead to underserving the demand for which the inventory was planned and raise issues between organizational entities that lean toward protectionism, undermining competitiveness. Solving this issue requires effective decision-making processes that occur in real time based on corporate objectives. - Ralph Cox, Senior Principal, Tompkins International