Some senior business figures encourage buyers to treat the money they spend as if it were their own. It is thought this could promote better spending control and perhaps even deliver greater savings. Do you think this is a good technique for buyers to adopt? What benefits could it bring? Share this postClose Bookmark and Share [...]
The fourth series of The Apprentice has reached its dramatic conclusion and it was not without its hiccups for the would-be entrepreneurs. In the final episode the contestants were asked to invent a new fragrance for men. Favourite to win Claire teamed up with eventual victor Lee, to put together a gloriously grotesque homage to [...]
At yesterday's procurement solutions for the public sector conference in London, business author and speaker Philip Hesketh spoke on "the psychology of persuasion and influence". `According to Hesketh, reputation is just a equation: Reputation = Experience (the experience people have of you) – Expection (what is expected of you). What other equations have you come [...]
In the soapbox of the current issue of SM, Fiona Czerniawska, co-founder of sourceforconsulting.com, says there has been a lot of progress in the approach to buying professional services. "The past five years have seen a generation of procurement people coming up through the ranks who now have considerable experience of buying professional services. They've [...]
As one of our news stories reports today, there is still no consensus on the best way to "decouple" (or break up) the marketing supply chain. Some companies have decoupled print and press services, but for many decoupling TV and radio programmes seems beyond their capability or resources. Is decoupling the marketing supply chain something [...]
In this issue of SM, we look at some common business scams – including dodgy telephone calls, faxes and e-mail requests – and how buyers can avoid them. Have you fallen victim to any business swindles? Any advice for other buyers on how to deal with cons?
Last week in our blog “Hearing voices” we told you about scientists coming up with the formula for the perfect human voice. This week, we want to know what you think the mathematical formula is for the perfect purchaser. Perhaps this could be a mixture of some of your favourite colleagues or successful buying techniques. [...]
Implementing codes of conduct for suppliers has been a hot topic recently. In news this issue, SM looks at KPMG's supplier code which covers areas such as health and safety and environmental standards. Are supplier codes of conduct the next big thing in the area of sustainability? Have you had any experience developing these codes?
In the next issue of Supply Management, out tomorrow – Features The route to recovery – SM speaks to the man helping Network Rail's procurement get back on track A sense of relief – A look at life in the field for UN buyers Can you afford to go slow? – How buyers can avoid [...]
In our story today, we reveal activity in the construction sector has fallen to its lowest ebb in eleven years. At the heart of the problem is a weak housing market, which is suffering under the strain of the credit crunch. This has impacted the volume of new business and the level of commercial activity. [...]
