March - Chicago Business Barometer™
03/28/2024
The Chicago Business Barometer™ declined 2.6 points to 41.4 in March. This is the fourth consecutive monthly decrease, pushing the index further into contractionary territory, and marking the lowest print since May 2023. We also note that this print is 4 points below the 2023 average.
Order Backlogs contracted 11.4 points. More than 50% of those surveyed saw smaller backlogs.
Prices paid lowered by 2.1 points, due to organizations being proactive on cost.
A special question in March asked: When are you planning to make your next (major) capital investment for growth? 38.5% were "Unsure", while 38.4% reported a mixed between first half and second of 2024.
How OpenAI's ChatGPT-4 Will Replace Leadership Storytelling--Except for This
04/01/2024
Storytelling requires the kind of soul AI is missing.
Esther Choy, the CEO of Leadership Story Lab, recently used ChatGPT-4 to compose a poem about the importance of leadership storytelling, and while it was accurate, it was missing something vital -- the triumph over obstacles that creates the heart of good storytelling. "What draws audiences to a story, what makes people feel a sense of connection, is the difficulty we face, the pain we endure and the relevation we arrive at," Choy writes.
Full Story: Forbes
Port of Baltimore crisis: What Supply Chain Managers need to know
04/01/2024
Nearby ports taking ships after Baltimore bridge collapse
The bridge collapse in Baltimore has caused rerouting in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia, with ports as south as Georgia willing to handle additional ships. In addition, trucks are still moving in and out of the Baltimore port although some road detours are in place, according to DAT Freight & Analytics.
Full Story: Supply Chain Dive
