How NOT to Follow a Strategic Sourcing Process by Kelly Barner

July 16, 2013

1

I recently wrote an article for the ThomasNet Procurement Journal about the dangers of following the strategic sourcing process too closely. As well intentioned as any process is, over time, it is not uncommon for it to stand in for the THOUGHT process. We’ve all made the mistake of forgetting to think outside the lines, […]

BREAKING NEWS: Evidence of fraud on the part of government suppliers G4S and Serco reported by Minister of Justice by Colin Cram

July 11, 2013

0

Share prices of G4S and Serco dropped sharply today as Chris Grayling, the Minister of Justice, announced that the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has been asked to investigate G4S. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23272708 He said that there was evidence that both companies had overcharged the UK government by 10s of £millions for contracts related to tagging criminal offenders. […]

Forrester’s Duncan Jones and His Big Bang Theory Relating to Market Evolution by Jon Hansen

July 10, 2013

0

“I don’t see any evidence that this product was at all significant in IBM’s decision to acquire Emptoris, let alone be “based on the acquisition” as you seem to be suggesting.  Its too early to expect IBM to have coherent plans for what to do with its services procurement product, and while it doesn’t fit […]

Posted in: Commentary

Edward Snowden’s Impact on Your Supply Chain by Kelly Barner

July 3, 2013

0

Edward Snowden is the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor that is currently a fugitive from justice. According to a June 23rd article on CNN, “Snowden has revealed himself as the source of documents outlining a massive effort by the U.S. National Security Agency to track cell phone calls and monitor the e-mail and Internet […]

Posted in: Guest Posting

Recent Zycus video demonstrates that even though you are “on” social media doesn’t mean you are “in” social media by Jon Hansen

June 30, 2013

2

“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Back in 2010 I produced a PI Inquisitive Eye Internet TV segment titled Spend Intelligence & Botox in which Zycus was the sponsor. Even though it was a test broadcast that was based on a […]

Posted in: Uncategorized

Our newest PI European Edition columnist Tim Cummins offers interesting insight into IACCM’s Negotiated Terms Study by Jon Hansen

June 27, 2013

0

As our Procurement Insights European Union Edition takes off under the deft and insightful management of Chief Editor Colin Cram, I am very pleased to announce the addition of another new contributing columnist to the team. IACCM’s Tim Cummins is one of those individuals who bring a much needed perspective to an industry in transition. […]

Posted in: Uncategorized

Did industry analysts turn a blind eye to long-standing problems? by Jon Hansen

June 25, 2013

6

BPM estimates the dollar loss at “tens of billions” each year as a result of obsolete, redundant and unused software . . . The court fights that preceded word Monday that Oracle and PeopleSoft finally agreed to merge shed some light on software companies’ knowledge of enterprise software’s failings. The gems unearthed include this Microsoft […]

Posted in: Commentary

Why Mickey North Rizza can’t go home again . . . or can she?

June 21, 2013

4

In Part 2 of yesterday’s post in which I wrote about Jason Busch’s proclamation that he is moving on regarding his “thinking,” I was posed with an interesting question. If after spending years with a service provider, a journalist/analyst may lack the necessary objectivity to “effectively” cover the market, what are my thoughts if this […]

Posted in: Commentary

More than 6 years after my Dangerous Myths post, Jason Busch admits that he kind of got it wrong (Part 1 of 2) by Jon Hansen

June 19, 2013

3

“I spent five years at FreeMarkets before launching Spend Matters and covering the market as a journalist and analyst . . . I’m a guilty party in terms of reverse auctions and foisting them on suppliers . . . I am also a proponent of them as well, but as you’ll see in our thinking […]

Posted in: Commentary

How open are you to change? One CPO’s unique journey from finance to HR to purchasing by Roz Usheroff

June 18, 2013

0

Editor’s Note: The following post originally appeared in Roz Usheroff’s The Remarkable Leader blog under the title Dubai Travel Journal (Part 2): Adaptable Brilliance . . . Denise’s Story. As far as I am concerned, one of the best examples of being open to trying something new is reflected in the following excerpt from my […]