Welcome
Friday, March 19, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Opinions
Network View: Facilitating cost savings 
By working closely with facilities management to renegotiate contracts on anything from cleaning suppliers to real-estate management, CPOs can drive forward efficiencies and realize substantial cost-saving opportunities, without impacting on customer services, writes Rafeh Masood.
Feb 10
Economic view: Emerging markets key to post-recession progress
The noughties party may have come to a thudding end, but the hangover shows little sign of abating with fears of a continued downturn and rising raw material prices causing headaches. But strong growth prospects in emerging markets could provide a much needed cure, writes Phillip Thornton.
Feb 10
Inside View: The search for young talent; training tomorrow’s procurement executives
Like most things in life, there are few, if any, original ideas in procurement. But, while you can’t teach old dogs new tricks, we can find
new ways of doing things. Indeed, the best way to shake things up is to invest in enthusiastic, motivated and business-savvy talent, writes Neil Deverill.
Feb 10
Economic View: Europe faces grim reality
Ten years after ambitious plans to make Europe a world-beating economic force, it finds itself lagging behind the opposition and poorly placed to take a lead when recovery comes. And with younger, fitter and stronger players hot on its heels, it could struggle to recover lost ground, writes David Rae.
Dec 09
Inside View: The psychology of procurement
With resistance to change the default setting for many businesses, implementing new processes – and making them stick – can be a long and frustrating task. It is only by breaking through that psychological barrier that you can hope to make any transformation permanent.
Dec 09
Inside view: Dare we call ourselves a profession?
Rather than worrying about how they are perceived by the rest of the organisation, procurement professionals should focus on continuing
to provide a critical and valuable service to the business. Maybe then they will secure the recognition and respect they truly deserve, writes Neil Deverill.
Oct 09
Economic View: The end of the beginning?
Pledges of monetary and fiscal stimuli will help thaw frozen credit markets, aiding the flow of global goods and services. But a more targeted policy is needed – a task made all the more difficult by the lack of reliable data and accurate measurement tools on trade finance, writes Philip Thornton.
Oct 09
Network View: Getting IT services contracts right
Getting IT services contracts right is never easy and making it up as you go along is not an option. From planning and design to implementation and management, ING's Dirk Karl sets out his 'golden rules' to create efficient contracting models in an increasingly global and competitive market.
Aug 09
Economic view: Exit strategy all-important for economic recovery
Having acted swiftly and decisively to avert a much bigger economic disaster, a too-hasty move by banks and policymakers to cut off the stimulus to economic recovery would be akin to trying to leave a plane before it has landed – rash, misguided and likely to end in tears, writes Phillip Thornton.
Aug 09
Inside View: Let the cull continue
If the latest research is anything to go by, nothing much has changed in procurement over the past two decades. But if it doesn’t evolve quickly and start attracting imaginative, business-minded people, it will never achieve its ambition to become a strategic, value-add function, argues Neil Deverill.
Aug 09
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