This content was made possible with a collaboration with SAP  Procurement 2020 is a year most procurement professionals will never forget. Our supply chains were thrust into the spotlight ov...

Another week, another 9 new webinars. I think we’re seeing a meaningful shift this week from all-COVID-all-the-time to a longer term look at what’s next, whether that means the economy, changes in how we manage our supply chains, or significant industry restructuring.

The June ISM-New York Report on Business was released on July 2nd at 9:45am Eastern and is available for download here 2020_ISM-New_York_June_ROB_v01.pdf. Please see the end of this commentary for additional information about the ISM-New York Report on Business.

Why do organizations continue to use high priced consultants and consulting firms instead of their own talented employees? Before I answer this, I must confess that I am an experienced consultant having worked for both small and large consulting firms.

This content was published on the MyComplianceOffice blog on June 30, 2020 “Most corporate purchasing is slow, opaque, and downright onerous—fueled by a broader objective to control spending.” A....

Over the past two decades, procurement has made great strides in transitioning from a transactional, back-office function to a strategic, value-adding organization. However, the hard work is far from over. Procurement has fought to get a seat at the table with c-level executives, but now it’s time for procurement to prove that it deserves that seat and can keep it.

In addition to the events listed below, this week also marks the release of the ISM-New York Report on Business and other major economic reports. Obviously, we are all watching them closely as they provide yet another month’s worth of insight into the global economy and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Procurement’s role in an organization touches across many departments, suppliers, countries, and competitors. This situation requires that procurement professionals possess excellent communication skills and the ability to quickly adapt to different cultures, perspectives and crises. 

The calendar continues to fill up, and this week I added events that are scheduled well into the month of July. There are 12 events taking place this week alone. Unlike other years, when things slowed down more for the July 4^th holiday, there will definitely be event recommendations for the week of June 29-July 3. In addition to the events listed below for this week, I’d like to recommend two longer term events:

There are times when “no” or “not interested” are positive words. If we contact a supplier and we find out that “no, we don’t owe money”, a “no” can sound lyrically poetic. If we are getting robo-called and the company finally understands that “do not call” means “not interested,” life is good and these words have served our purpose well. 

However, “no” or “not interested” are not our favorite words during a job search. Even if we decide that “this is not for me” and we don’t like the job, the team or the company, those words smart when we find out that the feeling is mutual.

This content was posted on the Thinkers 360 Blog on June 13, 2020 What are your predictions for COVID-19 in terms of business and technology implications and recommendations for executives over the ne...

Another week, another 10 events added to the calendar – all of which are taking place between now and the first week of July. There are 8 webinars this week and 11 next, and several events already listed for the week of July 4th. That may indicate that the pause in business that typically surrounds the July 4th holiday in the U.S. will be shorter than in more typical years.

Leaders of procurement teams at manufacturing and process companies are decisive. They know what they want in a supplier. They want a supplier with a similar culture and competitive quality, service a...

Procurement and sales are two vital business functions with varied processes that are often described as opposites. Some companies may find these two departments at odds with each other as they argue which one is more important for the vitality of the organization.

Last Tuesday I announced that Buyers Meeting Point has acquired MyPurchasingCenter, a website and online community much like BMP. This step increases our reach, audience, and – most importantly – our content base. Some of the best known writers in procurement and supply chain were authors for MPC, including Jon Hansen, Bill Michels, Dr. Tom DePaoli, Rich Weissman, and Elaine Porteous. Look for more on that front starting this week!

The May ISM-New York Report on Business was released on June 2nd at 9:45am Eastern and is available for download here: 2020_ISM-New_York_May_ROB_v02.pdf. Please see the end of this commentary for additional information about the ISM-New York Report on Business.

As we turn the corner into June, the pace of even virtual events has slowed back to what I would expect to see in the summer months of a ‘normal’ year, which this decidedly is not. One sign of light at the end of the tunnel is this: I added a live event (yes, live – in person and with people in attendance) for November of 2020. Time will tell if that is going to hold and what it will look like, but it feels like a glimmer of hope all the same.

This content was published on the ATSC blog on May 25, 2020 The word ‘chain’ evokes images of metal links locked together, but this analogy has not been apt for a long time. Terms such as network, eco...

If you are outside of the U.S., just a quick reminder that Monday is Memorial Day, a Federal holiday and the unofficial start to summer. Most people are still marking the day in some fashion, but I suspect that very few will be taking to the roads, so the week should be relatively business-as-usual starting on Tuesday.

If you are planning your schedule further ahead, I recommend “How BNY Mellon is Building a Value-driven Procurement Organization” on June 2nd from IACCM, BNY Mellon, and SirionLabs.

Holy webinars Batman! I added 14 new virtual events to the calendar last week. Clearly companies are embracing this method of reaching their desired audience (in the absence of an alternative). I just hope they aren’t all sad COVID-19 fallout events. If anyone hears about a webinar focused on how the ‘murder hornets’ are expected to affect the supply chain, please let me know?