Microsoft and NBC recently ended their long-running partnership after Comcast, which owns NBC, bought out Microsoft's stake in the joint venture that has operated MSNBC.com since 1996.
Microsoft pulled out of the associated cable channel in 2005 and the gulf between the two companies has only continued expanding since then. According to The New York Times, NBC began to feel that its web-based partnership was restraining its business activities. For instance, many advertisers were becoming increasingly interested in buying ads that would be shown on both the televised programming and online content. However, Microsoft ran the ad-sales on the Internet side, which significantly complicated the process of delivering cross-media ads.
This whole episode underscores an important point about business relationships and investments in new technology – they must facilitate your company's ability to provide service in order to be worthwhile.
This idea applies to many different areas of your company's operations. For instance, your enterprise labeling solution should bolster your staff's abilities, not limit them. If your current system requires a week of programming before updated labels can start printing, it may be time to seek an alternative technology provider. A high-caliber, GS1 compliant labeling solution should also allow your company to make use of legacy systems and minimize operational disruptions.
Label traceability is becoming increasingly critical for businesses across a variety of industries, as it has applications that range from streamlining inventory management to facilitating product recalls and improving quality assurance efforts. Getting ahead of the curve in the implementation of modern labeling solutions can help a company improve its process efficiency, harness the power of data-driven analytics and ultimately become an industry leader.
GHS and Regulatory Labeling Challenges in the New Era 
