The growing Internet of Things (IoT) will bring new opportunities and challenges, not the least of which will be increased spending in retail IT and advanced security concerns.

To drive robust supply chain performance, many companies put one individual in charge, either a chief operations officer (COO) or a chief supply chain officer (CSCO). With the right leadership agenda these positions can make a major impact on performance. In some organizations, however, the appointment of a COO or CSCO may unintentionally lead other senior executives to view the supply chain as "somebody else’s problem."

Organizations that closely integrate their purchasing and logistics functions deliver better business results, according to a new study from the Global Supply Chain Institute at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. But the study, involving more than 180 supply chain professionals, also shows that many firms fail to capitalize on this opportunity and have supply chains where purchasing and logistics operate in "silos" with little cohesion.

Research McKinsey conducted in partnership with the World Economic Forum suggests that companies are struggling with their capabilities in cyber-risk management.

A British senior executive working in China for the global pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline helped orchestrate a long-running bribery and fraud scheme that involved making secret payments to doctors, hospital staff and government officials to bolster drug sales, Chinese authorities said.

Twenty years after NAFTA, the failure of member countries to invest in adequate border infrastructure is catching up with us. To reverse the drag on our competitiveness, North America needs an infrastructure bank. To this end, Canada should join and lead the transformation of the North American Development Bank.