To be a corporate I.T. professional today, you have to be obsessed with cybersecurity. A line on your resume should read "paranoid tendencies." Because somebody really is out to get you - or, at least, your company's proprietary information.

Apple is facing fresh questions over alleged workers' rights violations and environmental mismanagement in its Chinese supply chain, following the publication of a major new report from the China Labor Watch (CLW) group.

Tim Weiner, global risk manager of commodities and metals at MillerCoors LLC, smells a rat in his supply chain. He believes bank holding companies, through their control and ownership of stores of aluminum, are inflating the metal's prices.

As the global economic landscape evolves and shifts, companies seek out new sourcing locations and growth opportunities in worldwide markets. Global expansion brings about new supply chain challenges and complexity that can vary by market and country. In North America, companies are looking for closer sourcing locations, greater efficiency, and opportunities to grow their export business. Latin America, due to its proximity, emerging market growth, and attractive free-trade agreements (FTA), as well as preferential agreements with the U.S. has made it a desirable trade region.

Jeff Hedges, president of OPEX Material Handling, outlines some of the major challenges confronting e-commerce providers, including rising costs, tax issues and global regulation.