In this issue’s Knowledge Zone, Robin Evans talks about how our brains use filters to cope with the deluge of information we’re exposed to every day. His tips for improved information management include being aware of the types of information you regularly forget or ‘delete’, as well as making an effort to avoid negative thinking [...]
Over the last two days we have reported on food companies being forced into operational changes under the strain of high input costs. Only yesterday rice – which apparently provides one fifth of all the calories consumed by humans worldwide – hit a record high, jumping 30 per cent to $760 (£377) a tonne. Have [...]
This week’s adviser poses the question: "I have recently started working for a charity that does not have excess funds to invest in payment software. Our current manual payment system is time consuming and error strewn, with some people being paid twice and some not at all, which is affecting our supply. How can we [...]
In the next issue of Supply Management, out tomorrow – Featured Articles Both sides of the deal – What happened when a buyer and supplier swapped places? Magic numbers – The progress of transforming government procurement 10 steps to better sourcing – How buyers should take the right approach Worth all the tea in China [...]
The SM team stumbled across a press release today in which a firm graded its suppliers in elaborately named categories. They were as follows… Golden suppliers – vendors who don’t bargain over prices and only produce goods with their own branding. Royal suppliers – will produce goods to any quality, labelled with the customer’s brand. [...]
According to The Lawyer (25 February) Barrister fees for core counsel on the Diana inquest will reach almost £5 million, with rates for the QCs a huge £575 per hour. But it’s not just high-profile cases which are raking in big dollars for lawyers, in News this issue, SM looks at a recent Evershed’s survey [...]
In this issue’s Knowledge Zone, Paul Carter Hemlin discusses how effective delegation can fast-track a buyer’s career. By ensuring their existing role is taken care of, he says, purchasers can move onwards and upwards within their organisation. Do you think buyers are good at delegating? Do you jealously guard work for fear no one else [...]
CIPS president Ron Jarman looked to US presidential candidate Barack Obama for inspiration when he addressed the audience at the CIPS annual dinner this week. During a conversation with a friend in the US who is campaigning for the Democrat front-runner, the friend told him: "Obama is successful because he appeals to youth." He then [...]
The Adviser question this issue looks at overcoming resistance from event planners when getting involved in MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) spend. Our experts’ tips include understanding the spend breakdown and communicating benefits from the outset. Do you have any other advice for buyers looking to increase their influence over MICE spend?
This article from today’s Times reports that the Vatican has announced a group of new deadly sins, more in keeping with the age of globalisation. New sins include "ruining the environment" and "carrying out morally debatable experiments". It got us thinking, what are the seven deadly sins of procurement?
