Unsustainable water use is threatening agriculture, other business and populations in China, India and the U.S., according to a study by risk analysis company Maplecroft.

As a tier one automotive supplier, Active Tools International knows the importance of avoiding and mitigating supply chain disruptions. Bill Keller, president of global operations, says the company has developed written risk mitigation plans that emphasize the use of dual sourcing of parts.

One of the often overlooked and undervalued components of supplier selection is trying to determine the supplier's long-term potential. Simply stated, it is not very difficult to identify the lowest price option during an RFP process. The key for long-term success is based on analyzing each supplier's potential for the long haul, encompassing areas such as strategic alignment, cultural fit, common delivery centers, industry outlook and social responsibility efforts. The best overall strategic value is not necessarily the lowest cost.

Interruptions and impediments to supply chain operations continue to rank among the greatest concerns for U.S. technology companies, according to an annual report issued by BDO USA, an accounting and consulting organization. Eighty-eight percent of tech companies cite concerns over reliable suppliers, vendors, distribution of products and services, as well as the global distribution chain.

There are three things certain in life. We all know the two cited by Benjamin Franklin, but there's a third certainty that we all face regularly and have to cope with constantly - that we'll make mistakes. Everyone makes them; if it hasn't happened to your business, you haven't been in business long.

"Sometimes buzz begets buzz." That's Patrick Bower's explanation for why sales and operations planning (S&OP), hardly a new concept, has become so important to companies today. According to the senior director of corporate planning with Combe Inc., globalization has had a big influence on companies looking for ways to plan demand within increasingly complex supply chains.