The Internet of Things (IoT) will reach 26 billion installed units by 2020, Gartner predicts, up from a 900 million just five years ago. The 30-fold increase in Internet connectivity will alter supply chain leader information access and cyber-risk exposures.
“Supply chain strategists need to be looking at its potential now,” said Michael Burkett, managing vice president at Gartner. “Some IoT devices are more mature, such as commercial telematics now used in trucking fleets to improve logistics efficiency. Some, such as smart fabrics that use sensors within clothing and industrial fabrics to monitor human health or manufacturing processes, are just emerging.”
Digital marketing budgets are expected to continue to increase in 2014. A rapid move to digital marketing has direct implications for the supply chain, particularly for consumer product industries with rapid cycles of go-to-market and promotional activity. B2B industries adopting digital channels to reach customers will also be affected.
More detailed analysis is available in the report “Digital Marketing, Internet of Things and 3D Printing Are Digital-Business-Driven Disruptions for Supply Chains.”
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