Supply chain visibility may have won the 2016 Obsession of the Year Dive Award, but it was an obsession earned because of many industries’ critical need for increased supplier risk management and communication.

Food recalls, tightened fulfillment timelines and the rising threat of counterfeit pharmaceutical and medical products are among the latest examples of why companies must continue to invest in visibility. But achieving it is much more difficult than purchasing software with a supplier analytics platform: it requires a holistic perspective in order to consistently engage the data in a manner that adds value and decreases risk.

In other words, as the technology and concept matures, the retail, food and pharmaceutical industries provide valuable examples for how to best implement a visibility plan.

1. As omnichannel needs grow, retailers slowly invest in visibility

   Crosschannel analytics, distributed order management and inventory visibility systems were among the top technologies retailers plan to invest in next year. Read More >>

2. Why shipment visibility is critical for retailers, carriers and customers

   A retailer’s goodwill can disappear in a flash, or perhaps in a puddle. Read More >>

3. Could whole chain traceability be the answer to food safety and transparency?

   Even if it is, the method of tracking supply may not yet be feasible for manufacturers and retailers. Read More >>

4. FDA releases guidance to help combat pharmaceutical counterfeiting within supply chain

   As pharmaceutical supply chains expand into India, China and other emerging economies, safety protocols become increasingly difficult to enforce. Read More >>

5. Report: Are shippers tracking the right visibility data?

   An American Shipper visibility benchmark report reveals many shippers are drowning in data. Read More >>

6. Tiers, not tears: Avoiding surprises in the downstream supply chain

   Multi-level supplier relationships can help identify threats lurking in the supply chain. Read More >>