Strong regional tastes and lack of national scale stymie the development of national brands and efficient supply chains.

ECONOMIST: Retailing in China

The model that Mr Smith cooked up at Yale, based on a hub-and-spoke system of overnight air delivery, has since expanded to encompass a broad portfolio of businesses contributing to efficient supply chains.

ECONOMIST: Face value

Broadband is more efficient global supply chains.

FORBES: Oil's Drive

China will not have the lowest hourly labor costs but highly efficient factories and effective supply chains.

FORBES: Characteristics Of The New China

Adding vitamins and supplements can give companies more leverage when negotiating with retail pharmacies that have consolidated, as well as opportunities to make more efficient use of distribution and supply chains.

WSJ: Vitamins Become Growing Business for Consumer-Product Companies

From smarter power distribution, to more efficient cities, to digital battlefields, to self-optimizing supply chains, to hyper-targeted products, it all seems possible and the world seems poised to make deep inroads into smart and sustainable development.

FORBES: How The Internet Of Things Will Change Almost Everything