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Saturday, March 20, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Latest Procurement Articles
Mars CPO on meeting the challenges of market volatility 
Volatility in the commodities market has thrown up as many opportunities as it has challenges. For Mars CPO Andy Parton it’s a great time for procurement to prove its worth to the business.
Feb 10
New VP of Purchasing at Heinz gives procurement a commercial feel
Heinz vice president of purchasing John Hans has brought a decidedly more commercial flavour to procurement, prompting a cultural change at the iconic food and sauces company. But, asks Steve Hall, will it leave a bad taste in suppliers’ mouths?
Feb 10
Handling China’s dynamic supply market
With China’s economy still in pole position, now is the time to seek out new markets as well as future global procurement leaders.
Feb 10
How CPOs should seize opportunity to leverage executive support
CPOs should use their new-found influence to overhaul the procurement function, without damaging its hard-won reputation, writes Leslie Campbell.
Feb 10
Eliminating complexity in Whirlpool’s supply chain
Introducing greater standardization and removing complexity cleared the way for procurement-led cost savings at Whirlpool, writes Malcolm Wheatley.
Feb 10
Thought leaders: Demand management
Rather than manage cost, manage demand - it's a simple theory, but there are few organizations doing it well. Here, Michelle Perkins, head of research at the Procurement Intelligence Unit, takes us through some of the steps that CPOs can take to introduce a corporate-wide demand management process. The article is based on an in-depth research project carried out by the PIU, the findings of which point to a long, difficult road, but one which has a huge pot of gold at its end.
Feb 10
Thought leaders: Supplier carbon management
A.T. Kearney principal Stephen Easton and partner Dr Daniel Mahler discuss the thorny issue of supplier carbon management. Having worked closely with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) on a detailed study, the consulting firm offers several pointers on how to drive carbon reduction through supplier relations; from better training to supplier dumping and improved metrics. While there is evidence of progress, gaps remain between the performance of CDP members and their suppliers.
Feb 10
Thought leaders: Collaborative KPIs
Only by working closely with suppliers and internal stakeholders can procurement professionals hope to significantly improve performance. In this article, former Royal KPN CPO Willem van Oppen discusses the processes involved in developing the type of collaborative KPIs that pull people in the same direction and don’t encourage siloed thinking. And it’s a process that involves all stakeholders – both those in senior leadership positions and those on the shop floor.
Feb 10
Roundtable: Business alignment, London
A greater understanding of what business wants and better engagement skills among executives will help better align procurement with business outcomes, writes David Rae.
Feb 10
