For almost 10 years, Amazon conducted a surreptitious program code-named "Project Curiosity" that used an entity called Big River Services International to sell $1 million of goods annually under brand names including Svea Bliss and Rapid Cascade via ecommerce marketplaces such as Walmart, Shopify, eBay and Amazon, ostensibly to gather intelligence on the competitors and logistics services, according to The Wall Street Journal. The secret spying project reportedly gathered logistics information, pricing data and other information that was shared with Amazon to incorporate the findings into the marketplace's business.

Since partnering with Google Cloud in 2015, Home Depot has launched apps for employees and customers, enhanced its online search functions and used warehouse data analysis. Future capabilities will use machine learning and generative AI for inventory management to improve supply chain efficiency.

Walmart Marketplace, which has grown 45% in a year, is partnering with Cart.com to streamline listing and selling products on the platform. Cart.com uses AI to create multichannel capabilities to optimize pricing and syncing inventory.

Just over 70% of small and medium-sized US manufacturers say they will up their spending on Industry 4.0 this year, according to a new study. Robotics and automation have emerged as a priority for half of those manufacturers surveyed, followed by cloud computing, data analytics, AI and production or machine monitoring.

If you're a human, you have biases because our experiences are reference points for how we make sense of the world, but being aware of them is the first step toward dispelling them, writes Chatsworth Consulting Group Principal Lisa Kohn, who also recommends slowing down, getting feedback and gathering other perspectives before making decisions. "A huge dose of compassion -- for yourself and others -- for how easily we're caught in our own biases is necessary, and helpful, to find a way out or through," Kohn notes.

Recognition from the boss can keep employees motivated, but it must be the kind of reward that resonates with the team member and given not just at the end of a project, but as encouragement during the process, writes management consultant Marc Cugnon. "In industries facing greater uncertainty, more regular feedback and reassurance can help keep stress or anxiety below the boiling point for junior employees," Cugnon notes.

The prospect of a national climate emergency declaration is back in the cards as White House officials have reportedly revived discussions on the matter, although advisers are disagreeing about the effectiveness of such a measure. A climate emergency declaration would empower President Joe Biden to restrict crude exports, offshore drilling and oil and gas transportation.

RoadEx America and ITS Logistics have joined the federal Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) program to share supply chain data. Seven other motor carriers are FLOW members and contribute to the daily data aggregate, creating visibility and anticipating disruptions.

The Conference Board's Leading Economic Index fell by 0.3% in March, another indication of a potential slowdown in the US economy. Despite some positive signs, experts warn a weakening business outlook and tighter financial conditions could impact future growth. "Overall, the index points to a fragile -- even if not recessionary -- outlook for the US economy," says Justyna Zabinska-La Monica from the Conference Board.

Memory chipmaker Micron Technology is set to receive $6.1 billion in grants from the Commerce Department to help fund the development of new domestic manufacturing capacity in New York and Idaho. The $6.1 billion award comes from the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which allocated $39 billion toward revitalizing US chipmaking, and follows similar announcements for Intel, TSMC and Samsung.

With a potential economic downturn in 2023, taking a look at your supplier base to assess critical supplier long-term viability is imperative. Jason Juds, principal consultant at Liberty Advisor Group, developed a framework to assess, measure, and identify options for mitigating these supplier viability risks. Read the Hot Topic.

CSCMP offers membership, education and event opportunities to help develop your team to compete in today's disruptive supply chain industry. Position your organization as a supply chain thought leader and get access to best practices, up-to-date trends and solutions to challenges from the people who know it best. Improve productivity, build skills, network and increase your team's supply chain knowledge and visibility. Invest in your team with a customized CSCMP Corporate Membership today!