6 August 2014

Latest Research: Where does SA procurement face it biggest challenges?

Leave a Comment / BEE, Commentary, Compliance / Legal, Preferential Procurement, Procurement Strategy, Supply Chain Management SCM, Top Stories / Editor

BEE procurement, specifically implementing the New Codes, is considered the biggest challenge that South African procurement professionals currently face, said 481 respondents to a SmartProcurement survey. The concern around The Codes is unsurprising, considering many organisations believe they stand to lose a BEE level or two. Concerns around the BEE Codes will be extensively […]

Latest Research: Where does SA procurement face it biggest challenges? Read More »

Creating a culture of spend optimisation

Leave a Comment / Change, Procurement Strategy, Spend Analysis, Technology, Top Stories / Editor

Spend management evolved from a technology perspective when it was realised that organisation-level purchasing required a separate and unique set of tools that could set it apart for improving efficiency and gaining deeper insight into spend. While spend management has expanded into other areas of the supply chain, it is still focused on controlling

Creating a culture of spend optimisation Read More »

Managing supply risk – asking suppliers to share your supply risk

Leave a Comment / Contract Management, Risk Management, Supplier Management, Supply Chain Management SCM, Top Stories / Editor

Every business faces risks – the probability of events occurring – that can or will present challenges to their operations. Risk management is the practice of using processes, methods and tools to identify the level of probability, and then manage the ensuing risks. In practice, this means identifying in advance what can go wrong

Managing supply risk – asking suppliers to share your supply risk Read More »

Bulk procurement allows SMEs to add value in their sectors

Leave a Comment / Enterprise Development, Supplier Partnerships / Editor

A substantial prospect exists within the South African small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) market to create buying organisations for specific industries that would make it possible for SMEs to obtain cost-of-sale inputs at bulk rates and to use the marketing resources of an established ‘wholesaler’, Sean Krige of ED organisation The Hope Factory tells

Bulk procurement allows SMEs to add value in their sectors Read More »

Tricky procurement ethics questions and related answers

Leave a Comment / Commentary, Negotiation, Procurement Strategy, Supply Chain Management SCM, Top Stories / Editor

Unethical behaviour begins with a choice. But, once begun it is a downhill slide on a slippery slope. Some professionals justify their behaviour by judging themselves against their intentions rather than against their actions. However, a decisive litmus test is whether you would feel comfortable if the press spoke to your suppliers about your

Tricky procurement ethics questions and related answers Read More »

2014 Trends in South African logistics

Leave a Comment / Commentary, Logistics, Service Outsourcing, Top Stories / Editor

The CSIR’s 10th Annual State of Logistics Survey for South Africa¹, released in May 2014, highlights progress made and areas for improvement in South African logistics. The survey’s results mirror Tech-Pro’s experiences in this increasingly specialised area of supply chain management, Tech-Pro tells SmartProcurement. Subtitled ‘Bold Steps Forward’, the survey emphasises the growing importance

2014 Trends in South African logistics Read More »

Moving Localised Procurement into a Global System

Leave a Comment / e-Procurement, Technology, Top Stories / Editor

International organisations committed to continuing operation in South Africa have likely tasked their procurement departments with supporting SA’s drive to increase local production within the economy through increased local procurement. But, when operating on an international scale, how can an organisation’s global procurement system support local procurement while still giving visibility into aggregate spend

Moving Localised Procurement into a Global System Read More »

Why ‘green building’ is vital to your supply chain

Leave a Comment / Enterprise Development, Supplier Partnerships, Sustainable Procurement, Top Stories / Editor

As the world embraces ‘green’ initiatives, products and services, South Africa is implementing renewable energy, green building practises and environmental regulation to lessen the impact on our environment and precious resources. This opens doors for suppliers to turn their operations “green” and provide services that comply with current standards and that enhance corporate responsibility,

Why ‘green building’ is vital to your supply chain Read More »

PMI continues to signal manufacturing sector’s subpar performance

Leave a Comment / Commentary, PMI, Top Stories / Editor

The seasonally adjusted Kagiso Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI™) fell to 45.9 index points in July from 46.6 in June. “The decline in July was expected given that the labour strike by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) lasted almost the full month and directly affected many manufacturing subsectors,” says Abdul Davids,

PMI continues to signal manufacturing sector’s subpar performance Read More »