Commentary Archives - Page 14 of 21

Remembering Karen van Vuuren, a pioneering Procurement Professional

Leave a Comment / Commentary, Procurement Leaders / Editor

The recent passing of Karen van Vuuren is being widely felt among the supply chain fraternity. Karen will be remembered by many for the important, pioneering work she did in establishing the procurement fraternity as a profession. In addition to her tireless and distinguished contributions to the procurement fraternity, she held key leadership positions […]

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Smart Procurement World Western Cape a resounding Cape Town success!

Leave a Comment / Change, Commentary, Procurement Strategy, Sourcing Strategy / Editor

With over 800 attendees and 100 SMME exhibitors, the inaugural Smart Procurement World Western Cape of 5 – 7 March 2014 was a highlight in the procurement fraternity calendar. An invigorating CPO panel discussion about how procurement is driving real worth to the bottom line, and value to the top line had the event

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Panic around the New BEE Codes will subside

Leave a Comment / BEE, Commentary, Enterprise Development, Supplier Partnerships / Editor

The New Codes is arguably the most hotly anticipated piece of legislation released in 2013. Industry experts gave delegates at the Smart Procurement World Western Cape Conference some insights into what the New Codes mean for industry, the economy and your organisation. “Panic is an appropriate description of how the market is reacting. The

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Customer centricity unachievable without a customer-value focused supply chain

Leave a Comment / Commentary, Procurement Strategy, Sourcing Strategy, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Management, Supply Chain Management SCM / Editor

To be truly customer-focused, an organisation must reach and sustain a high level of intimacy with its customers, understand their needs and be fully engaged in delivering in line with their requirements. Supply chains play a strategic role in driving such a customer-centric business strategy, said respondents to the Barloworld SupplyChainForesight 2014 survey.

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Procurement reforms added to ‘electioneering’ arsenal are not “legally feasible”

Leave a Comment / Commentary, Public Sector Procurement / Editor

The ANC’s call for the creation of a tender board will not be legally feasible under the country’s current SCM regulatory environment. The ruling party’s 2014 election manifesto outlines measures to tackle corruption that include the creation of a central tender board. President Jacob Zuma said “…tender processes will be centralised under a central

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PMI declines to a level below trading partners

Leave a Comment / Commentary, PMI / Editor

The seasonally adjusted Kagiso Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) declined by 2.5 index points to reach 49.9 in December. Having edged below the neutral 50-point mark for the first time since April 2013, South Africa’s PMI™ is below its main trading partners. “Activity in the Eurozone rose at its fastest pace in two and a half

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Constitution’s procurement rules still to have their say on e-tolls

Leave a Comment / Change, Commentary, Public Sector Procurement / Editor

The validity of e-tolls has yet to be tested against the procurement requirements of the Constitution, says Paul Hoffman, from the Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa. The question is whether, as required by the rule of law, it is fair and therefore legal to impose the urban e-tolls, says Hoffman. The system according

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Strategically source made-in-Africa products to stimulate long-term industrialization, job-creation

Leave a Comment / Commentary, Strategic Sourcing, Top Stories / Editor

Africa’s buying behaviour must change to support the continent’s long-term industrialisation, job creation, SMME growth and development efforts, said CIPS Africa Advisory Board Chair, Prof. Douglas Boateng. “While I fully acknowledge and respect the fact that Africa is part of a global community, we must support made-in-Africa goods and services and purposefully embrace the

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Unlocking SA’s multi-billion e-procurement market

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

South African supply chain consulting specialist Resolve SP has partnered with Irish software company SourceDogg to deliver effective e-sourcing. The partnership will bring SourceDogg’s e-procurement solution to the South African market. The announcement was made during the Enterprise Ireland trade mission to South Africa led by Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello. Resolve

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Leading procurement event now in Western Cape

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The global financial crisis has placed significant pressure on corporates to find new ways of earning adequate returns on shareholder investments and in the case of the public sector, to find better ways of achieving value for money, said Kenneth Brown, Chief Procurement Officer for National Treasury, speaking at the industry event Smart Procurement

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