Susan Parker, director of purchasing and logistics with Kenmark Eyewear, defines the essentials of social and regulatory compliance, and describes how companies can achieve excellence on both fronts.

An annual survey of encryption deployment in businesses finds that slightly more firms have a comprehensive strategy than last year, with retail and health care firms showing the most significant gains.

The relationship between the chief information officer and chief security officer (or chief information security officer) can be fraught with tension - and that can be a good thing. Both executives play a critical role in your organization's C-suite, and better understanding these sometimes overlapping roles can only make your business stronger and more secure.

What would it take for manufacturing businesses to operate like the best online retailers? How can such companies turn orders around in a day, deliver them with greater customization, and replenish stocks seamlessly? These aren't idle questions for the top teams of manufacturers, because customers, across both B2C and B2B markets, are more fickle now; service demands are steadily notching upward; and economic volatility shows no sign of abating. Supply operations often struggle to keep pace, as many aren't sufficiently agile to capture fleeting upside opportunities or to mitigate fast-moving risks.

The traditional supply chain and the supply chain management function are being morphed into an integrated value chain. This optimization makes up for a more efficient flow of supplies and products; and more importantly, an emphasis in customer and business value.