Thursday, February 23, 2012
Edition 30 (Feb 2011)
PREVIOUS EDITIONS
David Rae, Editor
A senior procurement executive told me recently how his company had fallen into the trap of “outsourcing its intelligence”. Not in the sense that his company had strategically decided to buy in external market intelligence, but something altogether more worrying.
He was talking, specifi cally, about intelligence. Strategy and knowledge. Over the years, a series of CEOs and other leading executives had pulled in a well-known consultancy to help with strategy.
Nothing too worrying there. Unfortunately for his company, the cumulative effect of key staff moving on, mergers and divestments and generally poor housekeeping meant that, over time, the consultancy in question was the only one that had an overall view. They had, in every sense of the word, become indispensable.
The story got me thinking. Not only about how far we have come to rely on consultants but also, more importantly, about how modern companies can control the huge volume of intelligence they produce on a daily basis.
Nowhere is this more relevant than in procurement. CPOs need access to huge amounts of information to base their decisions on – I just wonder how many can boast the type of IT systems and processes that actually deliver this need.
PROCUREMENT FEATURES
- Editor's Letter
Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:19:44 - Just In Time interview: Sarah Ellis, BAA
Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:30:32 - Roundtable: Marketing spend, London
Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:20:21 - Why Switzerland may have the answer to tax efficiency and talent
Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:18:37 - A reinvigorated US manufacturing sector has big implications for procurement
Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:10:00 - Case study: Procurement and account payables get close at Genworth Financial
Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:59:19 - The specialists that are an essential part of today’s procurement teams
Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:48:17 - Sustainability: Supply Chain Revamp for Virgin Media
Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:00:14 - Sustainability: Proving the ROI case
Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:00:14 - Procurement and Finance: Teamwork Delivers
Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:42:23
PROCUREMENT OPINIONS
In commodity prices the scene is changing fast and now rich countries are increasingly price takers, not price makers, writes Philip Thornton US View: Collaborate before it’s too late
Looking beyond the balance sheet is the key to successful supplier risk management, writes Paul Teague Board talk: Taking the credit
Procurement chiefs need to learn to act for the good of their company, argue Cofely CPO, Remko van Hoek
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