Subscribe:
RSS feed
Procurement decisions don’t fail inside procurement. They fail when real-world conditions hit them. That’s what we assess.
New Year, New Slogan – “Control the Narrative” by Kelly Barner
January 13, 2014
In the wake of the 2012 U.S. presidential election, the political idea of managing one’s ‘optics’ spilled over into the corporate world. The pesky but popular buzzword captured an increased focus on how everything looks to observers from timing to backdrops to the tone of a statement or presentation. It is a topic I took […]
Posted in: Guest Posting
Revolution to Evolution: Is the B2B Marketplace Undergoing a Major Transformation? by Russell Darling
January 9, 2014
Originally posted on In The Cloud:
For years, eProcurement has been about supplier consolidation, to strategically limit the supplier base, to partner with content “aggregators”, to leverage those aggregators’ technology, volume pricing, and terms. However, during those same years, when I reviewed my client’s marketplace pricing (ok, maybe it was my mom reviewing the price…
Posted in: The Reblog File
Nature versus Nurture: Is Relationship Success in the Genes? by Jon Hansen
January 8, 2014
I know it’s been said many times, many ways . . . okay I am just coming out of the holiday season so excuse the reference to the Christmas carol lyrics. Anyway, if I have said it once I have said it a million times . . . social media and procurement are a great […]
Posted in: Commentary
Scout: A Dragon’s Den View by Kelly Barner
January 7, 2014
Editor’s Note: On November 26th, 2013 I had the opportunity to interview Year in the Life candidate Scout, a New Wave company that provides “painless” RFP capability to its clients. In the post-show commentary, our Dragon’s Den (or Shark Tank if you prefer) panel of experts will provide their take on the interview and offer […]
Posted in: Year in the Life Series
A Westminster Diary or An SME in King Arthur’s Court by Alun Rafique
December 24, 2013
Originally posted on Procurement Insights EU Edition:
Editor’s Note: In this latest account about the challenges faced by SMEs in terms of doing business with the UK Government – a challenge that is more often than not commensurate with King Arthur extracting the sword from the Stone of Scone – Alun Rafique shares, in both…
Posted in: Guest Posting
The (Real) Art of the Deal by Andy Akrouche
December 23, 2013
Originally posted on Relational Contracting Intelligence Blog:
With everyone from deal architects to premier transaction firms embracing a “Relationship” mantra when it comes to complex contracting and outsourcing, the true meaning of the word is being lost in a sea of good intentions. Or to put it another way, just because you say the word…
Posted in: Guest Posting
3 supply chain concepts that should finally (and mercifully) be abandoned in 2013 by Jon Hansen
December 18, 2013
In numerous articles that I have written over the years, I have made reference to three concepts that should once and for all be removed from the supply chain vernacular. I am of course talking about Maverick Spend, Change Management and Vendor Rationalization. In a world where both public and private sector organizations are looking […]
Posted in: Commentary
The Relational Contracting Bandwagon by Jon Hansen
December 17, 2013
They say that originality is the ability to conceal your source, and this statement has never been truer than it is regarding the emergence of the Relational Contracting model. I say emergence in that while the concept is certainly not new ̶ as detailed in his book, Andy Akrouche developed and began successfully implementing his […]
Posted in: Commentary
The Elephant in the Room: How To Make Your Year-End Performance Review Count by Roz Usheroff
December 16, 2013
Originally posted on The Remarkable Leader:
I am often asked – especially at this time of year – how do you handle a performance review by your boss? While there is no shortage of ideas and/or suggestions on what you should and should not do, I have without fail offered the same simple advice; Always…
Posted in: Guest Posting
Procurement Insights 
Acquiring Market Share: Why the recent Proactis acquisition of EGS Group may be a cup half-empty transaction by Jon Hansen
January 15, 2014
4
“The Proactis acquisition of EGS is set to provide access to the UK public sector. The joint customer list ranges from central government agencies and mid-sized companies in just about every industry sector, a variety of local governments, authorities and charities.” In a post I wrote this past September titled “BREAKING NEWS: Is the acquisition […]