Alan Sugar, Rudyard Kipling and Nicholas Sarkozy. Not a group of people you might initially find together, but they’ve all been selected by our readers as people that buyers would like to meet. Some are picked because they are respected, others because buyers want to pick their brains. Who would be your choice and why? [...]
This week a reader asked us: “My IT director has asked me to examine whether we should be outsourcing part or all of our corporate data storage. What are the pros and cons of this approach?” – Procurement manager, Merseyside What do you think?
In the latest Sopabox, Rosie Doggett, procurement consultant at the MCCA, explains the difficulty procurement has with buying marketing services:"A lack of understanding of the creative process is where our industry has acquired its "obstructive" reputation within marketing services. During a tender process many agencies report requests to detail actual salaries by named individual – [...]
There is news today that Britain won’t be changing from imperial to metric measures after all. While this will delight those who were brought up with pounds, ounces and gallons (and disappoint those that have been brought up with the reverse), surely it is easier for business if every country is operating with the same [...]
We hear much about the expansion of procurement’s role, its growing influence, but how about the evidence? In the latest issue of SM we explore the role of buyers who work in galleries and museums, a relatively new sphere to be in. As the British Museum’s head of procurement Mike Lewis tells us: “The museum [...]
SM is holding a roundtable debate next week on the topic of how procurement can capitalise on its corporate position. Procurement is probably better placed than it ever has been before in terms of being able to influence the business and play a role in its success. What are the key ideas that will make [...]
This week SM’s adviser panel was asked: I plan to run “procurement awareness” presentation for the non-buyers in my organisation. I want to enlighten them without it being dry or a case of ‘death by powerpoint’. Any ideas? -Senior commercial manager, Wiltshire Our advisers said – * use exercises, games and discussions, instead of just [...]
In the next issue of Supply Management, out tomorrow – Featured Articles Culture Club – Procurement is new to the museums and galleries sector. We explore this growing area. Safety Catch – Buyers and suppliers give advice on buying security services. Room for improvement – A report on how buyers are meeting the 2010 Decent [...]
Coming back from holiday presents a dilemma – what to do with all those e-mails filling up your inbox? It is estimated that the average worker has around 600 waiting for them when they get back from a two week break, but how can you begin to tackle them? One academic says that you should [...]
In this story in August 2002, we reported on Camelot’s plan to limit its business with any supplier to 20 per cent of the supplier’s turnover. In theory it sounds like a sensible idea. The arrangement would protect its suppliers, if the firm failed to win a new contract to run the national lottery. (Although [...]
