Procurement Intelligence Unit

This weekend the Sunday Times reported that MI5 claimed the Chinese government "represents one of the most significant espionage threats to the UK", due to its increasing excellence at a global industry that has effortlessly shrugged off the worst effects of the economic downturn – electronic hacking. more

If any trend provided evidence of procurement's changing role, then it's demand management. In the past procurement would, with some justification, have argued that its role wasn't to challenge a requisition but to action it. more

As culture clashes come, this, in the business world at least, is as big as they get. Kraft's fiercely resisted (at least for a time) acquisition of Cadbury has seen one of the driving forces of the corporate world across the Atlantic join forces with a company that remains, for many, quintessentially English. more

In its latest move, Google appears to be defying the Chinese government by declaring it will stop self-censoring its search engine and could leave the world's largest internet market after email accounts of human rights activists were hacked into. more

As labour costs continue to spiral in both India and China, a number of South Asian countries appear well placed to capitalise – and Vietnam is at the head of the queue. more

Supplier information management (SIM) - three little words that could make a big difference in procurement over the next decade. more

Brazil is one of the least trumpeted success stories of the noughties. The South American giant, better known for its famed football team than its desirability as a sourcing location, has quietly established itself as one of the world's fastest growing economic superpowers - and, as we move into 2010, the next decade is likely to see a rush of companies looking to do business in the country. more