Tammy Bliss recently left a career with Fortune 500 companies to become an entrepreneur. These two worlds share many challenges, including finding and keeping talented employees, she says. Bliss also discusses her new company, ConversionR, which promotes reuse of cardboard cartons.

Today's workforce consists of Baby Boomers hanging on to their jobs, Gen Xers growing impatient to move up, and Millennials expecting to leapfrog their way to the top. Generations expert Hannah Ubl of BridgeWorks offers tips for leaders who must manage this potentially combustible mix.

As warehouse workers get older and heavier it becomes harder for them to meet the physical demands of their job. Dr. Volker Schmitz, president of Schmalz Inc., a material-handling equipment manufacturer, explains how low-cost lift-assist equipment can alleviate this problem, while improving productivity.

Industrial giant Tyco has embraced a philosophy of "zero harm" in terms of its impact on the environment and the safety of employees. David Haley, director of distribution, explains how this commitment is being implemented at the company’s fulfillment centers.

The heart of a global business has always been the operations by which it buys, makes and moves what it sells to customers. Yet only 45 percent of supply chain and 40 percent of procurement executives at U.S.-based global companies say they are extremely or very confident that their supply chain organizations have the competencies they need today, according to the 2015 Supply Chain Survey from Deloitte.

Over the past couple of decades, supply chain management has become a crucial concern for multinational firms. In our super-connected world, firms must maintain a handle on the way products, supplies and people are zipping around the planet. Companies that streamline the links between their suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and subsidiaries can realize a distinct advantage over rivals that have not yet caught on to the importance of high-functioning logistics and purchasing departments. Indeed, research has identified several aspects of supply chain management that can boost firms' bottom line.