We have all read about how the volcano has disrupted millions of peoples lives. It has stymied logistics systems worldwide. The economic impact to companies globally have been devastating. Especially to industries already hit hard by the economic downturn. What can we do going forward?
We need better contingency planning, that is pretty evident based on [...]
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The fifth and final category in the recent Top 5 Categories to Source Now webinar was metal stampings (full replay here). With commodity prices rising, any strategy that alleviates some cost pressure in metals will be greeted with open arms.
So, what were Category Manager Tom Arbogast’s recommendations for reverse auction strategies for metals?
The full [...]
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Spring has sprung. The markets, manufacturing and perhaps even … employment may be emerging from hibernation. And while we’re all happy to see the economy awakening from a brutal recession (please don’t hit the snooze button), it will mean some changes as we shift from buyer’s market conditions. Indeed, we’re already seeing commodity prices rising, [...]
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Corrugated packaging has seen prices rising due to a host of factors, including winter weather, raw material prices and a rise in manufacturing activity.
In the recent Top 5 Categories to Source Now webinar, Kimbely Davis explained why this category is still among the most active right now, despite rising prices (full webinar replay here).
Kimberly’s four [...]
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In the New Normal, it’s never been more important to understand where your organization sits relative to your peers and competitors. This is particularly true when it comes to commerce management strategies and approaches. A majority of companies are using some form of advanced commerce management techniques to help meeting their goals – [...]
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Another category identified for cost savings in last week’s Top 5 Categories to Source Now webinar was commercial print (full webinar replay here). With marketing typically driving decisions on commercial print, it’s a category many companies have had trouble bringing under management of the procurement team. However if approached properly, commercial print provides great opportunities [...]
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During last week’s Top 5 Categories to Source Now webinar, business services (i.e. consulting) was identified as a category with potential for cost savings in the current marketplace (replay here).
Senior Category Manager Rachel Rutkoski recommended approaching consulting spend from two different angles; strategic sourcing and demand management. The clip below is her segment on how [...]
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An interesting article appeared in Bussinessweek.com regarding the new approach that the Chrysler Corporation is attempting with its supply base. Chrysler Chief Procurement Officer Dan Knott is attempting to undo the past few years of hardship that the economy and Chrysler has bestowed on its suppliers. Collaboration around accelerated payments and working capital management will [...]
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If you’re not already familiar with the Sourcing Interests Group (SIG), you should be. The organization has spent the last 19 years striving hard to accomplish their mission; to “assist companies in strategy development, the improvement of goods and services sourcing, and the implementation and management of corporate services through outsourcing, offshoring, insourcing and shared [...]
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It’s an understatement to say that the global economic recession has heightened focus of cost cutting and elevated the importance of spend management within most every organization. Yet, I have become increasingly troubled by the advice executives I speak say they are getting from vendors, analysts, or even their own IT departments when they ask [...]
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