- 22
- JUL
What skills does a successful category manager need?
Author: Jonathan Webb - Categories: Procurement Intelligence, Best Practice
The procurement function has dramatically changed from its previous role of purchasing and transactional compliance. Procurement departments are now strategic agents that seek to align best practice within the business. Analysts, buyers and category managers also need to grow to meet these new needs. more
- 14
- JUL
Procurement's insurance dilemma
Author: Jonathan Webb - Categories: Services Procurement, Risk management, Country Risk, Procurement Intelligence
Risk has been a watchword over the past two years as firms have grappled with the some of the most turbulent economic conditions in a generation. This focus has led to an increased focus on insurance – but are companies armed with the information they need to secure the right deal at the right price? more
- 06
- JUL
Organisational alignment: Who is tricking whom?
Author: Maggie Slowik - Categories: Best Practice, Procurement Strategy, Benchmarking, Procurement Intelligence
Next week, the PIU will launch its newest piece of executive research, this time exploring organisational alignment. more
- 30
- JUN
Clock ticking, but not for Swatch
Author: Maggie Slowik - Categories: Procurement Intelligence
In the current economic climate, positive news for luxury goods companies is gold-dust – and thanks to market intelligence it looks as though one Swiss watch-maker is bucking the downward trend. more
- 21
- JUN
Intelligence-led approach gains General approval
Author: Maggie Slowik - Categories: Procurement Intelligence
As a former colleague once memorably informed me, 'General Hindsight never lost a war'. He was a salesman, and used the phrase – which he had no doubt gleaned from another wise man – to explain how he had let a deal slip through his fingers because the right people weren't engaged at the right time. more
- 17
- JUN
Is there a global logistics recovery?
Author: Jonathan Webb - Categories: Procurement Intelligence
The fate of the wider economy is closely linked to the prosperity of the logistics market. The sector has produced many reports and figures, and yet it is difficult to disentangle these to determine global economic significance. more
- 07
- JUN
What about China?
Author: Jordan Early - Categories: Country Risk, Procurement Intelligence, Procurement Strategy
In late May I was fortunate enough to attend the Procurement Leaders London Forum, which looks to bring the brightest minds in procurement together to network and discuss the unique challenges that our function faces. more
- 02
- JUN
Red alert: Is your intelligence falling into the wrong hands?
Author: Michelle Perkins - Categories: Procurement Intelligence, Risk management
A quick question – do you know where your intelligence is as you read this? As the scope of market intelligence gathered by procurement organisations grows, then so does the amount of information provided to them. How many, though, are ensuring that their precious data doesn't fall into the wrong hands – and how many are working hard to make sure that their intelligence doesn't walk out of the building when a member of staff swaps one place of work for another? more