Walmart will open a 730,000-square-foot grocery warehouse in Lancaster, Texas, this year that will use automation to handle more than twice the volume of the retail giant's traditional distribution centers. The facility will be staffed by about 500 tech workers earning between $20 and $34 per hour, the company said, and plans also call for a 1.5-million-square-foot e-commerce fulfillment center next to the warehouse.

While many footwear brands have favored direct-to-consumer sales over wholesale in recent years, Martin Hoffmann, co-CEO of sneaker brand On, said the company has found success in wholesale deals that allow for quicker access to the right customers. Nike recently invited wholesale partners back to its campus and has slowed its pullback at Foot Locker as it seeks to achieve the right balance between wholesale and DTC sales.

Linde posted revenue of $7.9 billion for the fourth quarter and profit of $1.33 billion for the period. The UK-based gas and chemical supplier said it will invest as much as $9 billion over the next two or three years in clean energy projects to better serve companies eager to cut emissions.

The future flow of goods through ports can be kept smooth by ensuring ports remain operational during "the slower nighttime hours," reducing container idle times and boosting the use of automated container handling "to quicken the pace," writes Peter Tirschwell, S&P Global Market Intelligence's vice president of global intelligence and analytics. "Without correction, the system remains vulnerable to future supply disruptions that will harm the U.S. economy," Tirschwell notes.

Enterprises often fail to gain input from sales teams when designing or choosing customer relationship management software, argues consultant Mike Marks of IRCG. The process should start with sales reps picking a "Best of the Best" committee to lead the CRM design because "[b]uy-in and participation creates commitment," Marks writes.

President Joe Biden used his State of the Union speech Tuesday night to urge Congress to "pass bipartisan legislation to strengthen antitrust enforcement and prevent big online platforms from giving their own products an unfair advantage." Biden's comments marked the first use of the word "antitrust" in a State of the Union address since 1979.

Make yourself more approachable as a leader by putting down your phone and really listening, being sincere in your reactions, following through on your promises and building a reputation as someone who can keep a confidence, writes Jennifer V. Miller. "Your credibility depends on it and people won't come to you if they think you're not trustworthy," Miller writes.