The weakest link

TaylorMade, an Adidas subsidiary, has three titanium drivers in its 300 Series, the most popular line with professional golfers. But the company doesn't know which $499 club will score best with plain old duffers. To find out, TaylorMade is turning to a fortune-teller: demand management software. Businesses have spent billions in the past few years automating their supply chains. Now many are focusing on the other end of the spectrum: demand.It poses a much tougher challenge and, potentially, a far richer payoff.