Product packaging plays a critical yet often overlooked role in supply chain management. As the Skittles example shows, optimizing packaging requires cross-functional expertise.

As dawn breaks over the harbor, a freight ship arrives carrying containers filled with goods destined for store shelves and customer homes.

It's a rainy afternoon and you find yourself craving something sweet to brighten your day. Reaching into your pocket, you pull out a bright, colorful package of Skittles.