The recent occurrence of faulty ignition switches in General Motors cars should serve as a wakeup call to companies that lack good visibility into their global supply chains. But most have failed to implement adequate supply-chain risk-management programs that could head off such problems.

Three stages are commonly used to categorize an organization's maturity in their use of business intelligence and analytics technologies: Descriptive, or what happened in the past? Predictive, or what will (probably) happen in the future? Prescriptive, or what should we do to change the future?

Supply chain executives want to invest in powerful new technologies and business innovations to improve their supply chains, but are hampered by a shortage of qualified talent and never-ending pressure to cut costs, according to a new study by MHI and Deloitte Consulting LLP titled "The 2014 MHI Annual Industry Report – Innovations That Drive Supply Chains."

The International Maritime Organization's Marine Environment Protection Committee has reached agreement on the entry into force date of new, stricter requirements for ships' emission of nitrogen oxide (NOx) in emission control area.