In a room full of confident voices, the one with the facts leads. At a time when CFOs are scrutinising spend, CMOs are chasing agility, and CIOs are under pressure to deliver transformation at scale, procurement has a unique opportunity: to be the unifying force that drives clarity, action, and…
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Procurement leaders operate within an environment of constant tension, where competing priorities pull in different directions. The reality is that procurement has evolved far beyond its traditional focus on cost savings and contract negotiation. You need to be a strategic thinker, risk manager, digital innovator, sustainability champion, and relationship builder…
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In the first article, we looked at how “yes” can sometimes come at a high cost and why understanding power dynamics is crucial for effective Procurement. Now, let’s delve into the strategic power of “no”—a mindset shift that, when used wisely, turns resistance into a tool for deeper value creation….
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Negotiation is a core competency in strategic procurement, but it is also one that evolves with time, technology, and market dynamics. For Procurement, the evolution from traditional bargaining to a nuanced, value-driven approach marks the difference between routine cost savings and transformational impact. The mantra of “win-win” negotiations has dominated…
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What if your AI-powered procurement tool automatically rejected a supplier simply because they were from an emerging market? This isn’t just a hypothetical—it’s happening today. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping procurement, streamlining supplier selection, risk assessment, and contract management. But for all its promise, AI introduces ethical dilemmas that can’t…
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Let’s talk about those unforeseen disruptions that keep procurement leaders awake at night. You know the ones: a single ship, like the Ever Given, runs aground and suddenly 12% of global trade is stuck in limbo; or a global chip shortage hits, spawned by demand spikes and pandemic-driven slowdowns that…
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As a Chief Procurement Officer, you grapple daily with complexities that defy conventional playbooks. Tariff policies shift unpredictably, trusted suppliers falter without warning, and emerging technologies disrupt well-established value chains. Have you noticed that static job roles struggle to keep pace? When a key supplier’s production grinds to a halt…
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Inflation isn’t just a macroeconomic term buried in the finance team’s jargon—it’s a real, daily challenge that shapes how you source materials, negotiate contracts, and manage supplier relationships. It doesn’t simply raise prices; it steadily erodes what your budgeted funds can achieve. One year’s fixed contract can become next year’s…
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Our previous exploration of Jeff Bezos’ two-way and one-way door framework provided a solid foundation for understanding decision types – those that are reversible versus those that aren’t. However, in today’s complex procurement environment, is that enough?  In procurement we face multiple competing priorities: strategic sourcing initiatives, supplier relationship programs,…
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Imagine a procurement function that drives the organisation forward—unlocking value, creating resilience, and enabling innovation. That’s the promise of a mature procurement function, one that’s aligned with your organisation’s strategic goals and primed to respond to a rapidly changing world. But to get there, you need to understand where you…
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