With only 18 days left until Christmas, many of us are likely to spend this weekend crammed into busy high-street shops, desperately looking for gifts for loved ones. Slippers, perfume, socks and chocolates are a typical choice for the shopper who has run out of ideas, and most recipients will be grateful for the thought. [...]
This week a reader asked us: One of my key suppliers has recently gone into liquidation. How can I minimise the impact of this on my business? – Senior Buyer, Sunderland What can you suggest?
In the last issue’s soapbox Noreen Guy, operations director at John Hall Associates, discusses the pitfalls that face buyers when sourcing energy supplies. “The buyers I meet are typically experienced, capable professionals working in medium or large organisations that spend a significant sum on energy. Most retain third party intermediaries (TPIs). It’s ironic that companies [...]
A common strand of corporate social responsibility involves incorporating smaller organisations in your supply chain. SMEs often rely more on a steady stream of work than their larger rivals, and their customers can gain from their localised knowledge and a team of employees dedicated to fewer contracts. It may be easy to check on their [...]
In the latest issue of SM, buyers who’ve been involved in a merger or acquisition (as they more usually are) [http://www.supplymanagement.com/edit/archiveitem.asp?id=17128] argue it could actually present an opportunity to procurement. “It’s a time you can guarantee that efficiency, cost reduction and synergy savings will be at the top of the CEO’s agenda,” says one. But [...]
