Americans increased their spending at retailers last month by the most in two and a half years, driven by strong auto sales as residents of hurricane-ravaged areas replaced destroyed cars.

Challenge: Next generation ships carry more cargo than ever before. How can a port increase throughput in an environmentally sustainable manner while ensuring speed to market at destinations around the country?

Challenge: A multi-national corporation producing personal care products had several business units struggling to align all functions. Surprises and expediting were part of the management process; long-term visibility was not holistic. Decisions were made in silos without a formal review. A major difference between what was planned and was executed resulted.

Challenge: A food company with flat revenue and growth in a five-year period struggled to increase market share and household penetration where expectations and prices fluctuate. Credibility of the forecasts was debated, and plans were not consolidated. Receiving timely, accurate data was a struggle, and a $100m profit gap was projected.

It is no secret that the bulk of Ivanka Trump's merchandise comes from China. But just which Chinese companies manufacture and export her handbags, shoes and clothes is more secret than ever, an Associated Press investigation has found.

An unusual partnership between a major industry trade group and private retailer seeks to create a system for benchmarking supply-chain performance by e-commerce companies.