(1/12/2011) Invitation to Participate in Research on the Impact of the Recession on Procurement
Buyers Meeting Point periodically works with respected universities all over the globe to assist in conducting research relevant to the practice and evolution of procurement and supply management. Part of why we do so is because we want to secure access to the findings so our community members can read them. Often these reports would not otherwise be available to you. It is to this end that we bring you a new invitation to participate in research on the impact of the 2008 recession on procurement.
I have reviewed the survey questions and encourage you to take the 10-20 minutes required to respond. The questions are interesting in and of themselves, and promise a very interesting report to read. The heart of the research is focused on changes in procurement staffing, trade-offs between cost and functionality, and interaction between procurement and other internal functions.
This research is being conducted by an undergraduate student at the University of Birmingham, in pursuit of her dissertation. She has made her contact information available on the first page of the survey if you wish to contact her directly.
Thank you in advance for your participation in this effort. Once the summary of findings is available, it will be posted on the BMP site where you can read it.
-- Kelly Barner, Co-owner of Buyers Meeting Point
The recent economic downturn has had a major impact on a vast number of people and businesses. This has caused a financial struggle with regards to the basic standards of living, and has forced many people out of business.
The relationship between the 2008 recession, the procurement function and internal processes is one that has not yet been investigated by academics, which makes this research topic significant and very original.
The purpose of this research is to assess how companies have adapted their internal processes to survive the economic downturn. Questions will be focused around the following areas of interest:
o Structure of the procurement function
o Prioritising functionality over cost
o Allocation and selection of human resources
o Internal influences and relationships between departments
