Michael Landberg, strategic global sourcing manager at Boston Scientific, describes how a major player in life-sciences approaches the critical issue of risk management.

You probably don't think of Henry Schein as a technology company. In fact, you probably don't think of Henry Schein at all. At No. 268 on the Fortune 500, it is one of the least known names on the list, in the most mundane of businesses - wholesaling supplies to dentists. But Henry Schein has managed to place itself at the center of a technological revolution. It has turned its dull-as-mouthwash catalogue business into the leading platform for digital dentistry, and increasingly for other medical practices.

Technavio analysts are forecasting positive growth for many segments of the global IT spending market by industry over the next four years as several related markets, including IT spending in railways, spending in airports and healthcare supply chain management, will likely witness an increase in revenues.

Retailing giant Walmart and global drug wholesaler McKesson would both like to improve their bottom lines and think that pooling their purchasing power for generic meds can help them do that.