When Elon Musk talks about the future of factory automation at Tesla, he envisions new breeds of robots and smart machines compressed in dense factories with little room for human operators, guided by self-learning software.

The practice of supplier rationalisation in which spend is concentrated with fewer, larger suppliers has been called into question.

Nissan Motor said last week that it was suspending production at all of its Japanese factories after it discovered that uncertified technicians had conducted vehicle inspections even after a previous disclosure of the practice led to a major recall.

Europe's air-safety regulator recommended that companies using material from Kobe Steel Ltd. review their supply chains and - if alternative suppliers are available - suspend purchases from the Japanese company that admitted to faking data about product strength.

The discount shoe purveyor DSW says it wants to give its customers what they want, which is how the chain has arrived at this: shoe rentals.

It's a good time to be a consumer. In a retail landscape with more choices than ever before, it's all about catering to the consumer's preferred experience, according to Kirsten Green, a general partner at Forerunner Venture.

Americans increased their spending at retailers last month by the most in two and a half years, driven by strong auto sales as residents of hurricane-ravaged areas replaced destroyed cars.