The heart of a global business has always been the operations by which it buys, makes and moves what it sells to customers. Yet only 45 percent of supply chain and 40 percent of procurement executives at U.S.-based global companies say they are extremely or very confident that their supply chain organizations have the competencies they need today, according to the 2015 Supply Chain Survey from Deloitte.

Businesses today are just as committed to cost reduction as they were in the depths of the global recession. The main difference now is that many are focused on cost-cutting as a way to drive growth, rather than as a way to survive or avoid insolvency. This was one of the key findings from Deloitte's third biennial cost survey of companies in the Fortune 1000.

Smartphones may be among retailers' strongest allies this holiday season, according to Deloitte's annual holiday survey of consumer spending intentions and trends.

Achieving breakthrough improvements in sustainable packaging is more difficult than simply substituting one material for another. In fact, for many, the mere mention of the term can bring to mind flimsy plastic water bottles and noisy chip bags, designs with laudable intent but a high potential for detracting from the customer experience, according to a Deloitte report called "Thinking Outside the Box: Throw Away Your Current Approach to Packaging."

Deloitte is forecasting holiday sales will increase between 3.5 percent and 4 percent as the economy's health and the presidential election take center stage among consumers this fall.