Challenge: This global leader in power and automation technologies operates in 100 countries and managed its international trade using a partly decentralized model. However, as the company grew and new trade agreements were ratified, their supply chain became more complex.

Holiday spending will be higher and over a longer period of time in 2015.

A lean operation with a brilliant idea - caffeinated club soda - wants to crack the L.A. market during the spring. Sounds like a slam dunk, but they don't want to commit to a long warehouse lease while they're still getting a foothold. Meanwhile, a Christmas-decoration warehouse sits largely empty. It's a classic missed connection - and it’s common.

Firms that employ low-risk innovative initiatives produce valuable returns, while the most adept companies with a more aggressive innovation profile grow more quickly, says a survey by the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM) and CPA firm Cherry Bekaert LLP.