Emerging markets are no longer type-cast as low-cost sourcing SCM World’s chief content officer, Kevin O’Marah, recently released his ‘Top 10 Supply Chain Facts of 2014’. Noteworthy was O’Marah’s fact number five: low cost countries are no longer mere sourcing prospects – they are increasingly sought-after trading partners. O’Marah’s Top 10 is based on […]
A change is afoot in low-cost sourcing dynamics Read More »
Do you practice supplier quality management? Supplier quality is a relative thing: all suppliers aspire to a level of quality, but some are more committed to higher quality than others. How can you assess the degree of your suppliers’ commitment to quality? A thorough assessment requires extensive supply chain quality skills, but the following
12-point supplier quality checklist Read More »
“Don’t even try to argue with Dr. John Gattorna that supply chains really just boil down to a system of distribution centres, procurement processes, technology tools, and transaction routes. You won’t win,” says the respected supply chain thought-leader’s website. “I argue that supply chains are driven by people and their behaviour, all along the
Supply Management techniques for improved supply chain design Read More »
While “entrepreneurship” is often assumed to be directly related to “passion”, this is not necessarily the case. With an increasing number of individuals choosing to step into the entrepreneurial space as a means of financial survival, buyers need to have clarity about the driving force behind their SME suppliers. If it’s all just about
Is your small supplier an entrepreneur or an opportunist? Read More »
“He says he’s already got one.” The above quote comes from Monty Python, when the King asks a French soldier to join the quest for the Holy Grail. The French soldier says he is not interested as he’s already got one. James Marland, Vice President of Network Strategy for Ariba, an SAP Company, sometimes
In search of a true Business Network Read More »
While key subjects such as marketing, finances and business processes are fundamentally important to business success, ‘professional development’ (corporate communication skills, corporate expectations and personal branding/image) poses a greater obstacle when breaking into the first-tier economy, says The Hope Factory’s Sean Krige in this months’ SmartProcurement. More than any one thing, presenting an unprofessional
Entrepreneurs are often unaware of big-company expectations Read More »
Vetting in its simplest form is a formal and thorough inspection prior to granting approval or clearance. The importance of proper vetting in every department and position should not be underestimated – in fact, it should be at the forefront of every business process, says Rudi Kruger, General Manager of LexisNexis Risk Management. Without
Vetting crucial for today’s procurement world Read More »
Selecting a supplier is one of the most nerve wracking, but crucial activities an organisation must undertake. Your suppliers will be delivering your direct purchases, those that you use to produce the products you sell, and your indirect purchases, those that keep your business running effectively. When you select a potential supplier, you are
Research study – supplier selection criteria in a B2B procurement environment Read More »
As emerging economies place successful, fast-growing, and culturally different companies onto the global stage in the coming decade, the process of selecting suppliers will become riskier, more complicated, and more fluid. This is the consensus among Procurement Executives who responded to an Ariba survey on Procurement in 2020. “I believe we are going to see
Supplier selection – complexity on the global stage Read More »
A report compiled by Ariba for SmartProcurement When it comes to global commerce, South Africa is fast becoming a key participant. In 2007, two local companies – TradeWorld and Quadrem, teamed up to create the largest eMarketplace in South Africa. Their aim was to help large multi-nationals and the local suppliers with whom they do
South Africa takes a larger role in global commerce through Ariba Read More »
