Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning: What’s the Difference?
What’s the difference between artificial intelligence and machine learning in procurement
The Role of Procurement in the Post-Apocalyptic Retail Landscape
By now we’re all aware that the internet has brought about a retail apocalypse. Most of us tend to think this is due to the availability of online goods at significantly reduced prices. If reduced prices were all the internet offered, though, then only price-sensitive consumers would have been lured…
The Power of Government Procurement
Nothing has the influence of government procurement when it comes to effecting positive change within a community. The level of purchasing power a government department has, and the decisions made within the tender process, can be real drivers for innovation. The challenge for government procurement officers, though, lies in nuance….
The Peter Principle: Are You Where You Ought To Be?
“You will see that in every hierarchy the cream rises until it sours.” Laurence J Peter A previous article of mine, Procurement in the Roaring ‘20s, drew some interesting comments. Several focused on executive incompetence, with one commenter citing the Peter Principle as an explanation. So, what is the Peter…
Indirect Spend: 6 Ways to Tackle It
Indirect spend shares the fate of many a New Year’s Resolution. We make promises to tackle it head on and then abandon it at the first sign of difficulty. It’s tempting to put it in the too hard basket, but ignoring it could very well be doing you terminal damage….
Procurement in the Roaring ’20s
“May you live in interesting times”. A blessing or a curse? Perhaps that’s something to be determined in hindsight but, right now, it’s looking like 2020 will be an interesting year. At least. It has certainly started on fire, with significant parts of Australia in flames. At multiple fire fronts,…
Cleaning Up Our Supply Chains
Right now, there are five slaves working for you around the world. That’s according to some estimates. Some have the number higher. It’s sobering reading, and a dampening note to begin the new year with. Before you click away, however, this article isn’t just doom and gloom. I want to…
Procurement and Climate Change
Embracing Change in a New World Not much happens in this world without the process of procurement having an impact. It’s the omnipresent reality of a global economy driven by desire and consumption, and can be a powerful weapon for beneficial change, or untold misery. We touched on this in…
The Supply Chain: We Change or We Burn
Proverbs and Anecdotes When I was asked to contribute to the Barrett 2020 Sales Trends Report, the invitation posed a question: “With everything we need for positive change and progress available to us now, why wait for a crisis to secure our future?” Immediately, all the proverbs warning against change…
The Holy Trinity of Procurement Skills
There’s a joke among engineers that new grads lament not taking more maths subjects during their degree but, as they progress, rue not improving their communication skills. Procurement professionals don’t have the luxury of hindsight. From day one, our ‘soft skills’ make or break us. According to the Ikaros community,…
