Recognizing the vital role that women play in the procurement world is not the same as recognizing the persistent biases that inhibit and limit the opportunities for women. But, organizations that recognize the importance of women and compensate them accordingly will gain a decided competitive advantage.
By Timothy Ponzio Got plans? No time like the present to create, update, and test those business continuity plans while in the thick of it. It’s better to take the proactive approach because most executive leaders will be asking for these plans if they haven’t done so already. If they aren’t asking yet, then this […]
by John Buglino Industry 4.0 is revolutionizing how manufacturers leverage technology. Beyond being digitized, Industry 4.0 expands upon what you were able to accomplish with Industry 3.0. This new frontier in the world of industry takes the technology you’ve implemented—robotics, software as a service (SaaS), the Internet of Things (IoTs), AI, and big data platforms—and […]
by Sarah Scudder I’ve been working in procurement for years, and I’m a passionate advocate for elevating the role of women in the procurement function. So I was filled with mixed emotions when I recently reviewed the findings of two 2019 research studies that focused on the state of gender diversity in procurement. Both studies […]
Everyone talks about the importance of relationships to the point that most just respond with an agreeable nod and little else. In a recent poll (see below), the majority of procurement professionals reported that they do not consider relationship management to be a critical part of their overall responsibilities. But why?
by Jon Hansen In a profession that traditionally measures success in terms of lowest price, supplier relationship building is one procurement skill for which success is often obscured. Starting back in the old days – and we are talking about a period spanning 30 plus years, buyers would create a pocket of “trusted” suppliers with […]
Rich Ham, guest author for Procurement Foundry Procurement instinctively seeks the relative certainty and security that comes in the form of a contract. Procurement professionals tend to believe that once a contract is negotiated that promises savings in the form of lower per-item costs, the job is done. But are those savings real beyond the […]
