You may have been watching in recent days as the euro teeters on the edge of disaster. You may have been unnerved by American Airlines filing for Chapter 11. If you’re in India, you might have felt the rumblings of discontent as the government opened the doors to greater foreign investment. This week alone has proven that dramatic stories are unfolding, the effects of which will be felt into 2012.

Thought Leaders is a series of regular posts from experts from across industries and regions, looking at the issues procurement faces today. In this post, Wayne Scott Evans, head of procurement americas for Deutsche Post DHL asks whether effective demand management is more valuable than traditional savings metrics.

It’s been a bumpy ride in the technology industry of late. Just a few months ago on the back of the earthquake in Japan there was some suggestion that maybe we were seeing an end to lean inventories as companies scrambled to tackle components shortages. Meanwhile, uninspiring economic conditions have kept businesses guessing as to the right balance of inventory and cash – and those getting it wrong have paid a price.

Lamar Chesney, EVP and CPO for SunTrust banks is a good person to speak to if you want an honest view on how and why procurement needs to behave more strategically. He doesn’t mince his words either: “Often procurement talks about still not getting a seat at the table. Often that’s because they’re still not thinking and acting the right way.”