Executives are uncertain about how potential changes in the corporate tax rate following the November election will impact their growth and investment plans. Vice President Kamala Harris supports raising the rate to 28%, while Donald Trump proposes lowering it to 20% or even 15%. CFOs are modeling different scenarios to prepare for possible outcomes. Some companies are concerned that higher taxes could reduce cash flow and lead to higher consumer prices, while others plan to continue investment strategies regardless of tax changes.

Industrial distributors reported continued demand softness for the April-July period, leading many to lower full-year revenue forecasts. MDM examined a range of earnings reports and economic data, and while most economic indicators trended negative amid wider macroeconomic struggles, distributors do not appear overly concerned. It's likely that 2024 will be a disappointing year in terms of revenue, but companies have positioned themselves for the future and continue to expect a rebound next year.

US durable goods orders rebounded by 9.9% in July, surpassing economists' predictions of a 4% increase, primarily fueled by a 34.8% rebound in the transportation sector. Excluding the major swing in transportation, orders for long-lasting goods inched upward 0.2%. In what many see as a proxy for business spending plans, non-defense capital goods orders, excluding aircraft, fell 0.1% last month, and June's increase was revised downward to 0.5%.

More than 40% of procurement professionals say manual and outdated processes are preventing them from achieving business priorities, according to a survey from JAGGAER. "Our research shows that despite the strategic role procurement and supply chain teams play, these professionals remain underequipped, which presents a huge risk to organizations," said Andy Hovancik, CEO at JAGGAER.

The COVID-19 pandemic offered lessons on how to build resiliency in the supply chain, writes Jen Chew from Bristlecone, who offers advice on how to future-proof the supply chain. "Embrace visibility, flexibility, emerging technology, and change management to build a resilient supply chain capable of facing future challenges head-on," Chew writes.

The use of generative AI in creative marketing has shifted from a hype phase to a more realistic approach where enterprises are adopting a "crawl, walk, run" strategy, beginning with laying the foundations with quality data, followed by optimization and then actually using AI in creative development, writes Grant Parker, president of Flashtalking by Mediaocean. "The idea of GenAI rapidly replacing humans was, in retrospect, a natural reaction to the whiplash of experiencing its terrifying magic for the first time," Parker notes.

Leaders can take a cue from sports teams when it comes to adaptability and role clarity, write psychologist Jordan Scott Birnbaum and Darryl Kelly, the chief strategy officer at Alvaria, who point out that sports teams adjust strategies mid-game and mid-season, and have clear roles for players, coaches and executives. Birnbaum and Kelly advise leaders to clearly define employee roles based on individual strengths, allowing top performers to remain in their jobs without career penalties and identifying those best suited for coaching and executive positions.

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