Digital technology and innovation are driving massive transformation and optimization in supply chains. Meanwhile, the impact of digitalization and the ongoing globalization are pushing customer expectations to unprecedented levels and extending supply chains to the farthest corners of the globe — putting supply chains under more pressure than ever before.

Today’s supply chains do more than transfer materials and products between two geographies. In today’s increasingly digital world, the supply chain is the backbone of the information ecosystem. In this ecosystem, a set of interlinked, carefully coordinated dynamic processes must be tracked at every level to achieve maximum efficiency and to meet customer demands for increased flexibility, visibility, and transparency.

The findings in this fifth annual report on supply chain innovation are based on a survey of more than 1,100 manufacturing and supply chain industry leaders. Half of the respondents hold executive-level positions, such as CEO, vice president, general manager, or department head. The companies surveyed range in size, with 47% of companies having annual sales of more than $100 million and 10% of companies having annual sales of more than $10 billion.

This year’s report delves into the top five next-generation innovations that have the greatest impact on the supply chain: robotics and automation, predictive analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT)/sensors, artificial intelligence, and autonomous vehicles and drones.