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Doing What Comes Naturally Accessing Zycus Spend Management Innovation Through A Simplified and Practical User Interface Zycus Inc Profile
“Recognizing that adoption or end-user compliance is one of the main barriers to a successful program, the ability for project champions to leverage user comfort with known applications such as Excel to access certain functions within the SAP architecture could stimulate stakeholder buy-in, at least internally. By promoting the utilization of SAP through a familiar, easy-to-use interface, the overall level of possible resistance may diminish to the point of making the SAP PPS offering more viable.

The Socially Responsible Procurement Practice: Moving Beyond Social Consciousness (enterprising non-profits Profile)
“The question this raises is quite simply what set of circumstances will elevate green procurement from a nice to do “boutique” status to a more meaningful (and essential) element of a sound purchasing strategy? At the risk of answering my own question, I do not think that green procurement in and of itself will achieve this status, nor do I believe that it is a reasonable goal.
What can be the "next big thing" in supply chain management?
Network Member Question What can be the "next big thing" in supply chain management? Will it be technology-related (eg. new innovations, new IT solutions etc.) or more market-related (eg. changes in consumers demands and expectations forcing companies to adapt)? Are there any major differences in the SCM developments in different parts of the world? Eg. are European supply chains significantly different from American on Asian supply chains? Will it change in the future? Can we say that any part of the globe is developing faster than the others in terms of SCM maturity? Przemek Pietak Senior Consultant, Roland Berger Warsaw, Poland

The Greening of Procurement Revisited
“In our rapidly evolving capitalist economies, where it is in the natural order of things for corporations to devour competing corporations, for industries to carve up and digest other industries, one emerging form of capitalism with a fork – sustainable capitalism – would certainly constitute real progress.” From Cannibals With Forks – The Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business, By John Elkington (Capstone Publishing, Oxford, 1997) Do Cannibals With Forks Constitute Progress? So started the introduction to one of my most popular white papers titled, The Greening of Procurement: How Social Consciousness is Re-Shaping Procurement Practices.

If your company has a supply chain project, who are the top 5 companies you would call?
If your company has a supply chain project involving network analysis, implementing new technologies in a warehouse or strategically planning growth for the next five years, who are the top five companies you would call to help you with this and why? Drew, Director at Forte Consultants, Cincinnati, U.S.
Does offshoring mean developed countries are losing technical jobs to developing countries?
Member Question? Most of software solutions providing companies in US & UK are well experienced with explicit and undaunted gains of offshore software development outsourcing and thats why outsourcing comes as no surprise to anyone now. Then why are software companies in developed countries giving second thought to outsourcing to developing countries like India, Pakistan, Vietnam & others? Reasons why you Outsource: a) Outsourcing can help you share risk b) Outsourcing can help accommodate peak loads c) Outsourcing can help develop your internal staff d) Outsourcing is cost effective and saves you money

Technology and the Growing Talent Crunch!
A debate of reasonable fury has been raging since the Bureau of Labor Statistics released their latest report on procurement sector job growth. The primary point of contention is the BLS’ assertion that the “overall employment for purchasing and supply managers is expected to grow slower than the average for all occupations through the year 2014.” Adding further fuel to the “sky is falling” fire that seems to be the theme of the majority of commentaries written on this issue, is BLS’ position that the “demand for purchasing workers will be eliminated by improving software.”
My Account
In Part 1 of this posting, I shared with you information from my recent interview with Bob Sievert (Director, eProcurement Bureau for the Commonwealth of Virginia). As indicated, Bob had contacted me in response to the Ariba posting (The Ariba Interviews: Re-engineering the Future of On-Demand, August 31, 2007) indicating that their experiences would “fit nicely” with that article. Needless to say, it did in that it emphasized a number of key points including the importance of leading with process understanding versus technological capabilities.

Yes Virginia! There is more to e-procurement than software! (Part 1)
My recent post on the series of interviews I had with Ariba garnered considerable interest and feedback. By far the most interesting (and insightful) comments came from the Commonwealth of Virginia. What was compelling about the Virginia response was their willingness to provide a perspective from what they referred to as the “other side of the fence.” What was refreshing is that the subsequent interview revealed an extremely capable group of people whose passion for procurement was only rivaled by their commitment to a vision. A vision that was centered on gaining a thorough understanding of the processes that defined the Commonwealth’s procurement practice as well as the unique requirements of a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders.

Yes Virginia Revisited Why some eprocurement initiatives succeed and others dont
In a recent post that appeared in my Procurement Insights Blog titled The Ariba Interviews: Re-engineering the Future of On-Demand, I reviewed a series of interviews I had with a senior executive from Ariba as well as members from the company’s PR firm. Of the considerable feedback I received as a result of the posting the most interesting (and insightful) comments came from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Can present day PWGSC woes be traced back to a 1995 article on the General Services Administration in the US
“Of all the agencies and departments that have been discussed for privatization this year, the GSA would be one of the easiest to privatize. Its many services are available from the private sector, whose more successful firms offer a blueprint for how a privatized GSA could survive and thrive in a competitive environment. Moreover, because of the routine and commercial nature of most of its operations, as well as the performance benchmarks provided by its private sector counterparts, GSA is amenable to forms of privatization that allows for substantial and active participation by the existing federal workforce. Dr. Ronald D. Utt, Ph.D. Privatize the General Services Administration Through an Employee Buyout May 26, 1995 - The Heritage Foundation

Dangerous Supply Chain Myths (Part 6)
Segment 6 – Enablement of the Supply Management Organization: Balancing Capability with Control Enablement of the Supply Management Organization Although center-led organizations will continue to dominate for the next decade, as global operations become more complex, hybrid center-led models will begin to emerge to maximize value based upon the right mix of responsiveness and centralized control. Successful organizations will need to adopt and utilize appropriate supply chain technologies that integrate functional management and track appropriate metrics.
The Bands of Public Sector Supplier Engagement
“To really leverage vendor partnerships, solution providers need an in. For the public sector, that entre has to go beyond the program to the individual behind it who understands the market nuances and challenges that can hold partners back.” From the article 25 Public-Sector Channel Leaders (ChannelWeb Network, March 19, 2007) In one simple statement within the confines of a single article there has never been a better or more succinct explanation of what plagues public sector procurement practice today. Especially in the area of supplier development and engagement!

Further to the Barry Bonds Post . . .
The response to the Barry Bonds post through both the PI Blog as well as e-mail has been tremendous. Be sure to check out the comments that have been posted (with more to come), as they are indicative of the prevalent attitudes amongst stakeholders in terms of the Government of Canada’s Shared Services strategy. One question that I am often asked is if “concern with the GoC program is solely an issue of access and lost revenue opportunities,” or if there are “broader implications” that elevate the negative pushback from one centered on entitlement. Specifically, are SME complaints tied solely to fears of lost revenue opportunities (which some consider to be self-serving), or is it indicative of a true erosion of “best value” products and services availability.

Public Sector Procurement Practice and the Principles of External Economies, Clustering and the Global Value Chain
Can the public sector effectively apply the principles of External Economies to its procurement practice? “External economies of scale (ES) occur outside of a firm, within an industry. Thus, when an industry’s scope of operations expands due to, for example, the creation of a better transportation network, resulting in a subsequent decrease in costs for a company working within that industry, external economies of scale are said to have been achieved. With external ES, all firms within the industry will benefit.” (What Are Economies of Scale? By Reem Heakal, January 2003)

The Greening of Procurement (Part 1)
In my extensive travels to exotic locales (alright Calgary may not be exotic but it is certainly a great place to visit), purchasing professionals who have attended one of my conferences have rarely if ever broached the subject of environmentally friendly (re green) procurement practice. Burdened by the more pressing challenges associated with unnecessarily complex initiatives that are behind schedule and over budget, one can certainly understand the reasons for the paucity of inquiries.

Other procurement practice Related Articles

Yes Virginia! There is more to e-procurement than software! (Part 1)
My recent post on the series of interviews I had with Ariba garnered considerable interest and feedback. By far the most interesting (and insightful) comments came from the Commonwealth of Virginia. What was compelling about the Virginia response was their willingness to provide a perspective from what they referred to as the “other side of the fence.” What was refreshing is that the subsequent interview revealed an extremely capable group of people whose passion for procurement was only rivaled by their commitment to a vision. A vision that was centered on gaining a thorough understanding of the processes that defined the Commonwealth’s procurement practice as well as the unique requirements of a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders.

Technology's Diminishing Role in an Emerging Process-Driven World (Part 1)
Organizations that already have a technology driven program in place or have just recently implemented one still surprise me with their significant interest in the dramatic changes in procurement methodologies and practices. But rather than focusing learning on new and emerging technologies, today's procurement professionals seek insights into the actual processes that drive their enterprises. The impetus behind this change is largely the result of the fallout from the consistently high level of e-procurement initiative failures. Industry studies for the period 2001-2005 indicate 75-85 percent of all programs fail to achieve the promised results.

How does policy either motivate or undermine employee performance?
In an excerpt from a November 20th post in the Procurement Insights Blog titled "How Leadership Repeatedly Under-Mines Their Most Valuable Procurement Asset" (see below), I discussed the impact that current procurement policies and environments have on purchasing professionals within their respective organizations.

What are the 3 biggest challenges faced by supply chain/purchasing professionals today? (Survey Result 1)
There are many factors both internally as well as externally that are affecting supply chain/ procurement practices today. From the growing talent vacuum to the continuing lack of collaboration between Finance, IT and Purchasing relative to corporate initiatives. What in your own experiences and opionions are the top 3 issues that procurement professionals face?
What are the 3 biggest challenges faced by supply chainpurchasing professionals today? (Survey Result 2)
There are many factors both internally as well as externally that are affecting supply chain/ procurement practices today. From the growing talent vacuum to the continuing lack of collaboration between Finance, IT and Purchasing relative to corporate initiatives. What in your own experiences and opionions are the top 3 issues that procurement professionals face?

What are the 3 biggest challenges faced by supply chain/purchasing professionals today? (Survey Result 3)
There are many factors both internally as well as externally that are affecting supply chain/ procurement practices today. From the growing talent vacuum to the continuing lack of collaboration between Finance, IT and Purchasing relative to corporate initiatives. What in your own experiences and opionions are the top 3 issues that procurement professionals face?

What are the 3 biggest challenges faced by supply chain/purchasing professionals today? (Survey Result 4)
There are many factors both internally as well as externally that are affecting supply chain/ procurement practices today. From the growing talent vacuum to the continuing lack of collaboration between Finance, IT and Purchasing relative to corporate initiatives. What in your own experiences and opionions are the top 3 issues that procurement professionals face?

The Greening of Procurement Revisited (Part 2)
As a follow-up to my post from earlier this week, I am pleased to present Part 2 of the 2 part Greening of Procurement Series: It’s Not Easy Being Green! For those of you who would like to delve even deeper into the factors that are shaping both public and private sector sustainability strategies, including case studies on companies such as Kodak and Ford, you can purchase ($20) my white paper titled The Greening of Procurement: How Social Consciousness is Re-Shaping Procurement Practices (contact the author for ordering details)
How Your Procurement Practices Affect Your Sales and Brand
Ethical selling and procurement (purchasing) is now in the spotlight. Harvey Norman’s recent publicity surrounding their supposed sourcing and use of Australian native old growth forest timbers in their Chinese made furniture has drawn light on retail procurement practices. Procurement is now fairly and squarely in the spotlight and choices surrounding sourcing and distribution activities can have a dramatic effect on a company’s brand, reputation and sales revenue.

Procurement and Purchasing Cards
This article looks at how procurement cards - or P-cards - work to control misuse through setting of parameters on types, amounts, locations and frequencies of purchases. Also addressed are benefits and drawbacks of procurement card programs.

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