The manufacturing world is being shaped by technological, demographic, and market megatrends and how companies respond will define their future performance.

What's the biggest risk to global supply chains today? Natural disasters? Terrorism? Supplier failure? Port strikes? How about ignorance?

Because not enough students are going into trade schools there is a shortage of people with the needed skills, according to a report on the so-called "skills gap," produced by The College of William and Mary on behalf of companies who distribute equipment for construction, agricultural, industrial and related industries.

Starting up a business requires brains, heart and money - but in the case of the last, not as soon as you might think.

We're always forecasting - thinking about what will happen, assessing its likelihood, and contemplating the implications. For CFOs, the stakes are especially high when it comes to the difference between accurate and inaccurate forecasts.