Cyber-security breaches at major companies grab headlines as legislatures and regulators at the state, federal and international levels develop "rules of the road" for protecting information, especially consumers' personal data. Supply management professionals should be concerned that their systems and/or employees may be exposing their organizations to data breaches - opening the company to lawsuits, governmental enforcement actions and significant reputation damage.

Despite greatly improved safety records in the century since Titanic, the maritime industry faces new challenges driven by the continued growth of worldwide shipping, according to specialist marine insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty.

Rosslyn Analytics, a provider of business-intelligence software, has made available a new tool for conducting analyses of supplier risks. RA.Pid Supplier Risk Profile allows finance, procurement and supply-chain organizations to collaboratively evaluate, monitor and mitigate supplier-centric risks in real time in five business days, all from a single screen, the vendor claimed.

When Amazon announced its $775m cash deal to buy Kiva, a robot automation fulfillment center player, it put many of its existing retail clients in a bind. This includes current Kiva clients - Walgreens and Saks, among others - plus other recent (and possibly current) customers, such as Gap, Crate & Barrel, Staples, Dillard's, Toys 'R' Us and Office Depot.

APQC, which specializes in benchmarking and best practices research, has released a report that identifies 14 key category management best practices grouped in four areas that are necessary for the procurement organization to become a true partner and sustainable value driver for business.

A rise in cargo theft reporting is attributable to improved collaboration and data sharing between the insurance and transportation industries and law enforcement, according to a report from CargoNet.