Blog


The Role of Procurement in the Post-Apocalyptic Retail Landscape

New Retail is all about trust

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…

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The Power of Government Procurement

Public procurement can influence the local economy

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….

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The Peter Principle: Are You Where You Ought To Be?

The Peter Principle claims clueless worker

“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…

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Indirect Spend: 6 Ways to Tackle It

Tackle your Indirect Spend

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….

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Procurement in the Roaring ’20s

Procurement 2020

“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,…

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Cleaning Up Our Supply Chains

Hidden Abuses in 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…

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Procurement and Climate Change

Procurement 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…

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The Supply Chain: We Change or We Burn

The Supply Chain Management

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…

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The Holy Trinity of Procurement Skills

Procurement Skills Assessment

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, the…

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Supply Chain To The Rescue!

Supply Chain Superhero

Not all superheroes wear capes. Some compose excel spreadsheets and identify process bottlenecks! An exaggeration, no doubt, but the truth is that those overseeing supply chains can and do have a massive impact on countless lives. Too often, we boil down the massively complex world of procurement to dollars and…

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Comprara acknowledges the traditional Aboriginal owners of country, recognises their continuing connection to land, water and community and pays respect to Elders past, present and future.