Why did I just get canceled for the following post? – Procurement Cost Modeling: Why the “Frost(y)” reception
I was always taught that there is no such thing as a dumb question. When I shared this post in another discussion stream asking this question, I was blocked by an individual:
❓ Cost modeling is the ultimate act of collaboration between stakeholders or “agents.” So, why are we stuck at a “17% neutral training position?”
Was my question out of line – I don’t think it was. What are your thoughts?
This past Saturday, I posted the above question on my LinkedIn feed.
I have always believed in two things when I write about any topic:
- Constructive dialogue is not about gaining consensus but understanding.
- I would rather get it right than be right.
To be clear, I didn’t have hurt feelings. However, I was confused because asking thoughtful questions has always enriched my insight and understanding of a subject matter and is almost always beneficial to expanding my knowledge. That’s right. Even though I have been in high-tech and procurement for more than forty years—I am turning 65 this month—I know enough to know that I don’t know enough.
My reward for being canceled was the added and much-needed insight reflected in the following comments:
Transformation & Excellence | On-demand Procurement Director | Switzerland Exclusive Country Partner CIPS for Business | Chartered MCIPS |
Cost modelling as a topic is certainly worth discussing, even though it requires detailed understanding of products, processes, markets, and financial management – which isn’t a very common combination in any given company. And, it needs to be adapted to every product, supplier and market. Thus, it is difficult to properly execute, and often the results obtained differ between the supply side and the buying side, even starting from same / similar data.
As much as training will help, processes and tools need to be aligned, and an open conversation be had internally and with external parties to agree on the approach and results.
Thanks to Hervé Legenvre for sharing his article.
Fractional Chief Research Officer, Procurement/Supply Chain Expert, Optimization Guru, Solution Engineer, Technology Management, Due Diligence, Writer, Leader, Board Member, Scholar, Futurist, & “the doctor” (IEEESM,HKN)
Jon W. Hansen so many politically correct answers, so here’s the not so politically correct one, by admitting you were right, the blocker would be admitting either he didn’t want to do the work of cost modelling or, maybe, was too dumb to actually do it … so, it’s easier to pretend it doesn’t exist rather than try to argue that it’s not worth the effort.
Research & Education on Supply Chain – Innovation – Open technologies
Training is a good start but not enough. It takes standard formats, data and cross functional teams to makes this work. You can also use some AI for this…. See my article written back in 2021 on this: https://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/powering-costing-with-artificial-intelligence-the-case-of-vodafone-procurement/
Public Procurement Advisor, Pracademic and Mediator. Helping suppliers and buyers optimise opportunities. Impartial and confidential coaching and dispute mediation.
Whilst the “blocking” seems somewhat illogical, the underlying issue is, in my experience, twofold. The first limb is that cost modelling is often seen as a finance/accounting specialism and is therefore an on demand service provided to commercial/procurement teams in a similar way to that provided by legal support.
The second limb – and one which largely arises because of the above – is that training procurement/commercial practitioners in anything more than the basics of cost modelling, and indeed legal, is not only not prioritised, but actually avoided in the mistaken belief that such matters are best left to the specialists – perhaps a concern that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing! 🤣
Of course, in addition, investment in any training is never prioritised.
Interim Manager | Procurement & CPO Advisory | Procurement Transformation | Procurement Excellence | Digital Procurement | Supply Chain Risk Management | Trainer & Moderator | Sustainability
Spot on and a very valid question. A dumb and ignorant response by this individual
I built and led 2 large cost structure and cost engineering teams and I can confirm that for many this was a tough challenge
For suppliers as well as for buyers. In the beginning quite some resistance and many still don’t see value in it. People that -with our support- suddenly delivered more value immediately switched from neutral or negative to strongly supportive
I Automate Warehouses with Robots and AI –> Let’s double your capacity with only 25% of the labor \\ System Integrator with over 25 years and $250MM of capital project experience \\ Founder of Oneiro Technologies
Cost modeling is a fairly broad term. I would debate that the responses are at 44% considering they answered average or above average. It’s all subjective and based on feelings. Either way whatever someone blocked you for is petty.
Professor & Visiting Scholar, Editor in Chief, Advisor & NED (Pracademic)
What…?
Founder | ML Consultant | Advisor | Nerd | Builder of Machine Learning & AI Solutions | Skills: DevOps | RevOps | MLOps | Expertise: Full Lifecycle Data Science & AI Engineering across multiple industries & domains.
Jon W. Hansen
Your question about cost modeling is spot-on. It’s essential to address why we’re stuck at a 17% neutral training position. Despite the importance of cost modeling, it seems we haven’t made significant progress in this area over the past quarter-century.
Collaboration among stakeholders—whether they’re procurement professionals, financial experts, or decision-makers is key.
Today’s Post Takeaway: If getting canceled opens up this kind of dialogue, I just want to thank the person for blocking and canceling me.
30
Procurement Insights
Why it pays to be canceled!
Posted on July 15, 2024
0
Why did I just get canceled for the following post? – Procurement Cost Modeling: Why the “Frost(y)” reception
I was always taught that there is no such thing as a dumb question. When I shared this post in another discussion stream asking this question, I was blocked by an individual:
❓ Cost modeling is the ultimate act of collaboration between stakeholders or “agents.” So, why are we stuck at a “17% neutral training position?”
Was my question out of line – I don’t think it was. What are your thoughts?
This past Saturday, I posted the above question on my LinkedIn feed.
I have always believed in two things when I write about any topic:
To be clear, I didn’t have hurt feelings. However, I was confused because asking thoughtful questions has always enriched my insight and understanding of a subject matter and is almost always beneficial to expanding my knowledge. That’s right. Even though I have been in high-tech and procurement for more than forty years—I am turning 65 this month—I know enough to know that I don’t know enough.
My reward for being canceled was the added and much-needed insight reflected in the following comments:
Dr. Thierry Fausten
Transformation & Excellence | On-demand Procurement Director | Switzerland Exclusive Country Partner CIPS for Business | Chartered MCIPS |
Cost modelling as a topic is certainly worth discussing, even though it requires detailed understanding of products, processes, markets, and financial management – which isn’t a very common combination in any given company. And, it needs to be adapted to every product, supplier and market. Thus, it is difficult to properly execute, and often the results obtained differ between the supply side and the buying side, even starting from same / similar data.
As much as training will help, processes and tools need to be aligned, and an open conversation be had internally and with external parties to agree on the approach and results.
Thanks to Hervé Legenvre for sharing his article.
Michael Lamoureux
Fractional Chief Research Officer, Procurement/Supply Chain Expert, Optimization Guru, Solution Engineer, Technology Management, Due Diligence, Writer, Leader, Board Member, Scholar, Futurist, & “the doctor” (IEEESM,HKN)
Jon W. Hansen so many politically correct answers, so here’s the not so politically correct one, by admitting you were right, the blocker would be admitting either he didn’t want to do the work of cost modelling or, maybe, was too dumb to actually do it … so, it’s easier to pretend it doesn’t exist rather than try to argue that it’s not worth the effort.
Hervé Legenvre
Research & Education on Supply Chain – Innovation – Open technologies
Training is a good start but not enough. It takes standard formats, data and cross functional teams to makes this work. You can also use some AI for this…. See my article written back in 2021 on this: https://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/powering-costing-with-artificial-intelligence-the-case-of-vodafone-procurement/
Martin Medforth
Public Procurement Advisor, Pracademic and Mediator. Helping suppliers and buyers optimise opportunities. Impartial and confidential coaching and dispute mediation.
Whilst the “blocking” seems somewhat illogical, the underlying issue is, in my experience, twofold. The first limb is that cost modelling is often seen as a finance/accounting specialism and is therefore an on demand service provided to commercial/procurement teams in a similar way to that provided by legal support.
The second limb – and one which largely arises because of the above – is that training procurement/commercial practitioners in anything more than the basics of cost modelling, and indeed legal, is not only not prioritised, but actually avoided in the mistaken belief that such matters are best left to the specialists – perhaps a concern that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing! 🤣
Of course, in addition, investment in any training is never prioritised.
Jan-Henner Theissen
Interim Manager | Procurement & CPO Advisory | Procurement Transformation | Procurement Excellence | Digital Procurement | Supply Chain Risk Management | Trainer & Moderator | Sustainability
Spot on and a very valid question. A dumb and ignorant response by this individual
I built and led 2 large cost structure and cost engineering teams and I can confirm that for many this was a tough challenge
For suppliers as well as for buyers. In the beginning quite some resistance and many still don’t see value in it. People that -with our support- suddenly delivered more value immediately switched from neutral or negative to strongly supportive
Drew Thomas
I Automate Warehouses with Robots and AI –> Let’s double your capacity with only 25% of the labor \\ System Integrator with over 25 years and $250MM of capital project experience \\ Founder of Oneiro Technologies
Cost modeling is a fairly broad term. I would debate that the responses are at 44% considering they answered average or above average. It’s all subjective and based on feelings. Either way whatever someone blocked you for is petty.
David Loseby MCIOB Chtr’d FAPM FCMI FCIPS Chtr’d FRSA MIoD MICW
Professor & Visiting Scholar, Editor in Chief, Advisor & NED (Pracademic)
What…?
“Live” Livingstone Rowe
Founder | ML Consultant | Advisor | Nerd | Builder of Machine Learning & AI Solutions | Skills: DevOps | RevOps | MLOps | Expertise: Full Lifecycle Data Science & AI Engineering across multiple industries & domains.
Jon W. Hansen
Your question about cost modeling is spot-on. It’s essential to address why we’re stuck at a 17% neutral training position. Despite the importance of cost modeling, it seems we haven’t made significant progress in this area over the past quarter-century.
Collaboration among stakeholders—whether they’re procurement professionals, financial experts, or decision-makers is key.
Today’s Post Takeaway: If getting canceled opens up this kind of dialogue, I just want to thank the person for blocking and canceling me.
30
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