The challenge of managing corporate reputation in an era of complex global supply chains is rarely out of the spotlight. From poor working conditions to environmentally unfriendly practices, there are a growing number of areas where brands are at risk from the rise of multi-tier supply chains. A succession of scandals has brought the supply chain to the public’s attention - from horse meat being discovered in the ready meals of UK retailers to factory fires in Bangladesh and exploitation of tin for mobile phones in Indonesia. The culmination of these stories means what was once an internal company process is now very visible to the public and runs the risk of inflicting serious damage on a brand's reputation.

APICS and Supply Chain Council announced today that the boards of directors of both organizations have approved an agreement under which Supply Chain Council (SCC) will merge with APICS upon ratification by SCC member vote.

In the grand scheme of things, delays, procrastination and postponement aren't good things. What's more, Benjamin Franklin was decidedly not a champion of putting things off. In fact, his actual words were "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today." Wise advice for most areas of life. Except, that is, when it comes to food and beverage packaging.

An estimated 208,000 new non-farm jobs were added to U.S. payrolls in April, according to D&B's May U.S Economic Health Tracker. This report provides a monthly, multidimensional perspective on the U.S. economy, including small business health, total job growth, and overall U.S. business health.

Boeing and its investors likely couldn't be happier with the first quarter 2014 earnings report: revenue rose 8 percent over the year-ago quarter, operating margins widened, and 2014 guidance got boost. The U.S. aerospace company ramped up deliveries for its 787 and 737 models to keep pace with demand, which in turn increased cash flow beyond analyst expectations. And a $374bn backlog of more than 5,100 aircraft guarantees that even if Boeing stopped booking new orders today it would take nearly a decade to deliver all the planes on order. But things don't appear quite so rosy in Boeing's Defense, Space & Security division.