In the next issue of Supply Management, out tomorrow – Features Trim your costs – Could hedging be the answer to soaring commodity costs? Decree of separation – The Legal Services Commission’s proposal to remove best value tendering A place in the sun? – Is moving procurement operations for tax reasons a good idea? CIPS [...]
Budget hotel chain Travelodge is offering a free nights stay to any finance director of a FTSE100 company, as their attempt to grab hold of firms’ business travel spend. Surely, though, they are targeting the wrong people? Procurement departments are the ones that hold the purse strings for business travel, so maybe it should be [...]
By Delwyn Cummack In this issue's Adviser, our experts give their tips on selecting and using online booking tools for hotels and venues. They say buyers should understand and clearly define requirements at the outset. Do you use an online booking tool for hotels/venues? Any advice for other buyers on how to use them effectively?
By Jake Kanter Today brought news of another bid to undermine Gordon Brown’s leadership of the Labour party. According to this story on the BBC website, a “small number” of MPs have sent letters asking why nomination papers for leader were not issued ahead of the party conference next week. It comes at a time [...]
In Knowledge Zone this issue, Cheryl D'Cruz-Young gives her tips for acing procurement job interviews. She says buyers looking to move jobs should regularly take time to strategically plan their career, prepare thoroughly for interviews, and ensure their personal presentation is top notch on the day. Do you have any advice for fellow buyers on [...]
By Jake Kanter Many of you will have seen one pound shops garishly poking out of your nearest retail haven. Well in the US they have something similar, but for the first time in its history the 99 Cents Only Stores has raised its prices. All the firm’s goods will now retail at 99.99 cents, [...]
By Paul Snell More instances of government suppliers losing important (and personal) data has come to light recently. Maybe public sector buyers should put an extra line in supplier contracts, recalling the Oscar Wilde's advice: “To lose one [set of data] may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.” It remains [...]
Buyers at local councils and in central government departments are increasingly being urged to work together to increase efficiency and save taxpayers money. In the private sector it has previously not been an imperative, but perhaps the current economic climate will encourage more competitors to collaborate on the procurement of common goods and services. In [...]
Steve Morgan, director of commercial and contract management at Sellafield, on winning the CIPS Purchasing and Supply Management Professional of the Year 2008 Tilly Harvey-Godfrey, professional services category manager at AXA, on winning the CIPS Young Purchasing and Supply Management Professional of the Year 2008 Guy Bruce, commercial and business transformation director at Homeserve, on [...]
By Steve Bagshaw Well done to all the winners at last night’s CIPS/SM awards and particularly to Homeserve for scooping the overall prize. It was a good bash but for shortlisted candidates who didn’t win their category – and particularly for those organisations with multiple entries – last night understandably brought disappointment. And while the [...]
