Commentary Archives - Page 5 of 21

Good governance + accountability = long-term socio-economic development

Leave a Comment / Commentary, Preferential Procurement, Public Sector Procurement, Sourcing Strategy, Supplier Partnerships, Supply Chain Management SCM / StaffWriter

Local government procurement practitioners need to recognise the inextricable link between good governance, accountability and long-term socio-economic development, says Prof. Douglas Boateng. Many people on the entire African continent are frustrated and angry. High unemployment, almost stagnant economic growth, poor quality service delivery, a decreasing standard of living, and limited resources for infrastructure upgrades, are […]

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Procurement in 7 memes

Leave a Comment / Commentary, Contract Management, Legal / Contract, Procurement Strategy, Risk Management, Sourcing Strategy, Supplier Management, Technology / StaffWriter

They say a picture tells a thousand words. How about a procurement meme? Okay, millennials. Strap yourselves in, because Hugo Britt, Content Manager at Procurious, is going to attempt to meme. Is meme even a verb? Perhaps not, but that isn’t going to stop him. For older readers who don’t really know (or care) what

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Can procurement create jobs? #youthmonth

Leave a Comment / Commentary, Procurement Training, Professional Development / StaffWriter

As we leave #youthmonth behind and move into July, it is a good time to consider the difference that procurement can make in the lives of South Africa’s youth. In this month’s SmartProcurement, Heilet Bertrand, Marketing Manager, Institute for Futures Research, University of Stellenbosch, takes a look at what procurement can do. Youth Day (16

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Procurement and the 4th Industrial Revolution

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

How can the procurement function adapt to the new reality of Industry 4.0? What can procurement leaders do to lead the change? To explore possible answers to these questions, Dan Bartel, Group SVP, Head of Procurement & Logistics/Chief Procurement Officer, ABB, unpacks Industry 4.0 in the context of Klaus Schwab’s 2016 book, The Fourth Industrial

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Blockchain: what are the opportunities for Procurement?

Leave a Comment / Change, Commentary, Technology, Tools, Tools & Tips / StaffWriter

By Bertrand Maltaverne, a Solutions Consultant who helps organisations digitally transform their procurement practices. To be honest, I haven’t totally figured out all of the details of the inner workings of the blockchain technology. And I do not think I will ever try to as some of it is very technical. I also do not

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What is the true cost of unethical conduct?

Leave a Comment / Change, Commentary, Compliance / Legal, Legal / Contract, Risk Management, Sourcing Strategy, Supply Chain Management SCM / StaffWriter

‘Procurement irregularities’ has taken 3rd place on Corruption Watch SA’s Corruption Report 2017 (CRW2017). Coming in at 12% of the reported types of corruption, procurement irregularities trails bribery as the most common form of reported corruption (27% of cases). However, CRW2017 does not define ‘procurement irregularities’, which caused Xavier Greyling (MCIPS) to question if procurement

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Retaining procurement talent: ready for the future?

Leave a Comment / Commentary, Procurement Strategy, Procurement Training / StaffWriter

Supply chain professionals in retail have an unprecedented opportunity to drive a profound shift in supply chain operational performance. But how will they strategically attract and foster a workforce that is ready to meet the evolving demands of future consumers, asks Rafique Jassiem, Group Procurement Manager, Oceana Group. The water shortage in the Western Cape

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New ways needed to procure construction projects in 2018

Leave a Comment / Category Management, Commentary, Public Sector Procurement, Sourcing Strategy / StaffWriter

Management methodology in some municipalities is changing for the better, says Stephen Bauld. During 2017, Bauld spent a great deal of my time working on behalf of contractors, raising issues related to construction projects with municipal staff at every level. He has seen a commitment by senior management to make systems better and to listen

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Procurement with purpose: beyond the bottom-line

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How can you embrace the notion of procurement with purpose authentically and in ways that are consistent with your core beliefs and ideals? Patrick McCarthy, SVP and GM, SAP Ariba North America, guides the way… Sustainability improves the bottom-line and companies can do good while doing well. In fact, research shows that purpose-driven companies with

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The ‘why’ behind the drive for retail process efficiency

Leave a Comment / Commentary, Procurement Strategy / StaffWriter

Process efficiency is good. In fact, it is one of the most frequently cited objectives of the procurement profession. But it cannot have a real impact unless we understand the bigger picture… As we expand the impact of procurement beyond savings, one of the most frequently cited objectives is process efficiency. In theory, if procurement

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