"We took the long view that by working together we could make them competitive, " says Timothy Myers, a purchasing executive for Honda of America.

FORBES: A Savior From the East

Were they fully merged--they remain distinctly separate despite sharing a chief executive and such tasks as purchasing, tech networks and some car chassis, engines and transmissions--the amalgam would be the fourth-largest carmaker on the planet.

FORBES: The Impatient Mr. Ghosn

Thomas Golisano, chief executive of Paychex, is close to purchasing one of them, hockey's Buffalo Sabres.

FORBES: Keep Your Eye on the Ball

In most households, she is now the stated or implicit Chief Executive Officer, while also serving as Chief Purchasing Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

FORBES: How The Great Recession Strengthened The American Woman

Agencies are also evaluated on demonstrating continuous progress towards implementing additional statutory or Executive Order targets and goals reflected in their annual Sustainability Plans, such as green purchasing and electronics stewardship.

WHITEHOUSE: OMB Sustainability and Energy Scorecards

After all, if the purchasing managers are ordering goods and services, or not, it says a lot about what the executive suite thinks is going to happen in the next few months.

FORBES: How To Find Clarity Among Mixed Economic Results

In April gave up chief executive spot, appointing Fabian Mansson, a 33-year-old amateur rock musician and former purchasing manager.

FORBES: Europe