Procurement Intelligence Unit

Despite the biggest economic slump in a generation, some sectors have proved to be remarkably adept at maintaining their growth – which in some cases hasn't been great news for procurement. more

Maybe it's time that the phrase 'beware of Greeks bearing gifts' should be altered slightly, because after a week where the country's financial state looks more perilous than ever, maybe 'beware of Greeks carrying a huge fiscal deficit' would be more apt. more

Few countries in the globalised business world have recovered as rapidly from the economic downturn as the Philippines. Thanks to the swift intervention of the country's republican government – and helped, in part, by the natural conservatism displayed by financial institutions operating inside its borders – a dip in economic growth in 2009 appears to represent a temporary blip on an otherwise upward curve that shows little signs of slowing. more

It would be easy to assume that the mere mention of demand management would be enough to bring the majority of suppliers out in a cold sweat – after all, if demand drops then so, it's natural to assume, do order volumes. more

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 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