
Weekly Procurement Whitepapers Update: Insights into Sustainability, Contract Management, and Cost Optimization Welcome to this week’s roundup of the latest research and thought leadership in procurement. Here, we highlight recently published whitepapers and reports available through the Procurement & Supply Library (ps-lib.com). These insights come from leading firms including Oliver Wyman, Bevan Brittan, and KPMG,…

Harnessing Game Theory to Optimize Procurement Negotiations: A Recap of Key Insights In the dynamic world of procurement, strategic decision-making and effective negotiation are critical components of driving value and ensuring successful supplier relationships. Recently, I had the opportunity to deliver a keynote presentation focused on an innovative approach to enhance negotiation outcomes—applying principles of…

Understanding the Challenges of Using SAP Ariba: A Frustrating Experience In today’s digital business environment, procurement and supplier management platforms are expected to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and reduce manual effort. However, not all platforms align with these expectations, and many users encounter significant hurdles that hinder their effectiveness. One such platform is SAP Ariba,…

Evaluating Procurement Tools: Challenges with Cost and User Experience In today’s dynamic business environment, efficient procurement processes are vital for maintaining healthy supplier relationships and ensuring operational effectiveness. Many organizations are currently exploring procure-to-pay (P2P) software solutions to streamline their spend management, but several common challenges are emerging in this evaluation process. The Cost Barrier…

Navigating the Job Market: Strategies for Finding Procurement Opportunities In today’s competitive employment landscape, securing a role in procurement can sometimes prove challenging, even for seasoned professionals. Many candidates find themselves diligently applying through popular platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed, only to encounter repeated listings and limited new opportunities. If you find yourself in this…

Exploring Career Paths in Procurement: Insights from a Banking Industry Professional Procurement is a broad term that spans across numerous industries, each with its unique processes and challenges. Today, I want to share a glimpse into my career in the banking sector, specifically focusing on third-party management and procurement, while also inviting others to reflect…

Evaluating the Value of Vendor Demonstrations: When to Say No In the fast-paced world of business technology, vendor demonstrations often become routine appointments—frequently seen as time sinks rather than opportunities. Many professionals have experienced this firsthand: invites promising a brief 15-minute overview that quickly extend into lengthy, unproductive sessions. It’s no surprise that teams often…

Understanding the Challenges of the Procurement Process in Modern Organizations Navigating the procurement landscape within a corporate environment can often feel like an arduous journey filled with obstacles, delays, and frustrations. Many procurement professionals and those involved in sourcing and internal approvals share similar sentiments about the difficulty of streamlining procurement activities, which can impact…

Knowing When to Walk Away: Mastering the Art of Negotiation Boundaries Effective negotiation is a vital skill across various professional and personal contexts. Whether you’re closing a business deal, securing a salary increase, or navigating contractual terms, understanding when to continue and when to walk away can significantly influence your outcomes. Recognizing the point at…

Enhancing Proactivity and Value Addition in a Strategic Procurement Role Transitioning into a strategic procurement managerial position within the semiconductor industry marks an exciting milestone, yet it also presents unique challenges. Unlike roles with rigid, predefined sourcing strategies where the primary focus is contract acquisition, a strategic procurement role offers increased autonomy to influence decisions,…