ScanSource will sell select businesses based in Miami, South America, Mexico and Europe as it focuses on key markets and digital operations. The units being divested have roughly 490 employees and generated more than $600 million in revenue during the most recent fiscal year.

Global enterprise supply chains should follow the example of consumers and do more of their business online, writes Richard Donaldson of Requis.com. "We will see trillions of dollars in savings that will drive up corporate profits, and drive down overall consumer prices (or keep them flat)," he writes.

Industrial builders are changing floor plans, flooring, ceilings and other elements to accommodate robots, along with building more urban locations to accommodate last-mile delivery, according to a Cushman & Wakefield report.

SAP Chief Marketing Officer Alicia Tillman discusses the importance of using data intelligence and empathy to shape superior customer experiences and explains why emotion is an essential factor in business-to-business marketing. "Everything has to appeal to the feelings of a human being," she says, noting, "That's how you sell, how you attract customers and it's certainly how you keep them for life."

Wayne Silverman offers three tips to improve business-to-business lead generation, including thinking like a prospect when creating website content to ensure it delivers information likely to boost conversions. Nurture quality leads with relevant content that's timed correctly and invest enough time and resources in lead gen strategies to see results, he writes.

Companies can foster innovation by having a point person who handles new ideas, a system to develop them and a reward program that gives employees the incentive to bring ideas forward, writes Idea Drop CEO Owen Hunnam. "The focus should be on creating an encouraging environment, so there is a better use of existing talent," he writes.

Leaders can relieve stress and make better decisions if they pause -- for even a few minutes -- before taking action, says Charles Fred, co-founder of TrueSpace. "The discipline of pause is a simple, yet profound concept that enables us to gain control over what we already can control, which also has a significant impact on our ability to lead," he says.

The NAW Certificate in Distribution Professional Management Program is ideal for high-potential managers who seek to complement their professional development with a strong emphasis on practical application within the distribution field. There are three separate, one-week sessions held at Texas A&M University, and they focus on Optimizing Distributor Profitability, Generating and Managing Growth, and Distributor Capability Development. These sessions are designed to help companies retain and further develop their key employees. Get all details.

The U.S. Business Payment Coalition and Federal Reserve recommend switching from manual to electronic invoices to achieve 92% invoice approval and on-time customer payments. Find out what smart, dynamic e-Invoicing can do for your DSO in this short 20-minute video from "Top 10 AR Solutions Provider" and NAW Trusted Partner, Unified Commerce.

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