The strongest case Africa presents for its attractiveness to manufacturing is its GDP growth. The continent is home to six out of the top 10 countries that are experiencing economic growth, according to an analysis by the Economist. Over the past decade, it has been the second-fasting growing region in the world, averaging growth of 5.1 percent during that period.

In many companies, marketers have been first movers in social media, tapping into it for insights on how consumers think and behave. As social technologies mature and organizations become convinced of their power, they will take on a broader role: informing competitive strategy.

The health of the world's economy continues to deteriorate as insufficient demand, unemployment and the ongoing debt crisis in Europe undermine recovery efforts, results of the ICC-Ifo World Economic Survey revealed.

Some 19 percent of consumers plan to spend more or substantially more (5 percent) on holiday gifts this year versus last year, according to the ICSC-Goldman Sachs 2012 Holiday Spending Intentions Survey. This is the highest percentage of consumers reporting they intend to increase spending over the previous holiday season since the International Council of Shopping Centers began asking the question in 2004.

Nearly 60 percent of retailers say delivering a consistent customer experience across all touch points is their number one priority this holiday season, according to survey results released by RedPrairie Corporation. And to help them meet this goal, 29 percent of retailers indicate they will hire more seasonal workers this year than last.

A ring of Canadian thieves who were caught with 30,700 stolen payment-card numbers is providing a view inside the process of tampering with PIN pads - and it's not pretty. On November 9, Toronto police said a five-man gang had tens of thousands of stolen card numbers on PCs and USB thumb-drives, along with at least a dozen stolen POS devices.

CargoSmart Limited, a software-as-a-service shipping and logistics solutions provider, has launched a monthly, complimentary e-newsletter designed to provide shippers, logistics service providers, and ocean carriers insight about cargo delays around the globe.

Global opposition has forced the European Union to conditionally freeze its emissions trading scheme for one year. EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said she is seeking to create "a positive atmosphere" for global talks concerning aircraft emissions management - an approach lauded by many in the aviation industry.