Procurement function one of most important drivers of future business success
The procurement function has a significant role to play in an organisation’s future business success in the global market, far beyond its past role of simple order processing, said Gerd Kerkhoff, CEO of Kerkhoff Consulting, tells SmartProcurement.
Posted by Editor at 12:07 AM
Understanding the Purchasing Environment
Procurement practitioners will only add sustainable value to an organisation’s bottom-line if they understand the environment in which they operate, Ronald Mlalazi (MCIPS), Edu cation Manager at Commerce Edge Academy, tells SmartProcurement.
Posted by Editor at 12:02 AM
Print management: managed delivery just as important
When considering print management as a solution, organisations tend to focus on the Procurement aspect of the solution: the system itself and the savings it can bring. Consequently, a Print Management supplier is often assessed on the quality, functionality, user-interface and reporting capability of the system that it is using.However, while Procurement is an important aspect, another leg on which a great Print Management service stands is ‘managed delivery’, Trevor Bennett, Divisional Managing Director of Outsourced Communications for Integrated Communications Agency, Ince tells SmartProcurement.
Posted by Editor at 9:40 AM
Scoring the human role in 'lean' implementation
A fundamental aspect of lean manufacturing practice is the notion that human resources are vital to the success of production. In an effort to improve the ability of organisations to track and manage human capital employed within lean manufacturing in an engineering environment, UNISA School of Business Leadership Master’s student Collin Moopanar has researched the development of a tool to track human capital performance to complement the Balanced Scorecard report popular with Executive Management.
Posted by StaffWriter at 8:00 AM
Applying recognised P2P best practice offers improved business performance
In times of recession, it is widely accepted that companies need to tighten belts and closely control expenditure. However, no organisation can function without steady and efficient supplies of the goods, raw materials and services which are necessary for value creation. A possible solution for improved company performance therefore lies in an optimised ‘procure to pay’ (P2P) process which eliminates waste, reduces administrative overload, rules out the potential for fraud and provides for the efficient sourcing of necessary inputs at optimal cost.
Posted by Editor at 5:10 AM
Uncovering huge savings possibilities in operational procurement
There's never been a more important time for procurement to identify and direct their organisations to realise potential cost savings effectively, both within current spending and also when assessing new ventures.
Posted by Editor at 9:20 AM
Procurement's image problem
The Procurement profession has a serious image problem. Most South African organisations, whether corporate or government, still do not see the profession as a strategically important function...
Posted by Editor at 12:00 AM
Improving supply chain processes and activity steps through Process Mapping - Part 2
This month, SmartProcurement editorial board member Dr. Douglas Boateng (FIoD, FCILT, FCMI, FIBC, FIOM), CEO of PanAvest International, presents the second part of his discussion on the application of process mapping to improve the performance of supply chain processes.
Posted by Editor at 12:00 AM
What will your supply chains resemble in ten years' time? Part 2
If an organisation wants to be competitive in the next decade, let alone a significant market participant, then its supply chains had better evolve.
Posted by Editor at 12:00 AM
Managing the transition to Strategic Procurement
When an organisation elevates the strategic role of the Procurement function it is important that change management plays a pivotal role in aligning employees to new policies, processes and systems. In managing a transition it is important that an organisation‘s key asset people, drive the new strategy forward as its success or failure hinges on them, Thapelo Petje, Independent Supply Chain Consultant, tells SmartProcurement.
Posted by Editor at 12:00 AM
Africa ready to take advantage of e-marketplaces
PanAvest International and Development Corporation has signed an exclusive agreement to promote and market the ProcServe suite of trading management and eMarketplace solutions in Africa, Dr. Douglas Boateng, PanAvest CEO, has revealed to SmartProcurement.
Posted by Editor at 1:50 AM
Improving supply chain processes and activity steps through Process Mapping
This month, SmartProcurement editorial board member, Dr. Douglas Boateng (FIoD, FCILT, FCMI, FIBC, FIOM), CEO of PanAvest International, discusses the application of process mapping to improve the performance of supply chain processes.
Posted by Editor at 1:20 AM
ABSA scoops IPSA Award - 'Best Process Improvement'
An Absa project, The Absa Purchasing Hub, has been acclaimed at the recent Institute of Purchasing and Supply South Africa (IPSA) awards dinner in the category of ‘Best Process improvement’.
'BEST PROCESS IMPROVEMENT'
Absa Purchasing Hub project owner Peter Alkema (right), and project superviser Junaid Nomani (left) at the awards evening
Posted by Editor at 2:10 PM
Sourcing and procurement operating models offer sustainable cost reductions
As the economy slides into the downturn cycle, organisations are switching focus from growth strategies to cost management and risk management to protect their bottom line. Many companies have exhausted short-term tactical cost reductions and are now looking for more radical and sustainable sourcing and procurement (S&P) operating models, Ged Mackell of Deloitte Consulting tells SmartProcurement.
Posted by Editor at 1:38 PM
'Supplier enablement' is a key component for successful procurement processes in South Africa
-thumb-100x46.jpg){kind=small}
This article appeared in the May newsletter with certain technical inaccuracies. SmartProcurement apologises for the error and would like to thank Quadrem for bringing the mistake to our attention and permitting us to re-print the article with the necessary corrections.The outsourced management of suppliers is of special significance in South Africa as a component of a successful procurement / tender process in the market place, Catherine Hills, Quadrem’s Client Services Director, told SmartProcurement in a recent interview.
Posted by Editor at 6:42 AM
A case study for centralised purchasing - World Class Operational Procurement
Part 10 of a ten-part series that examines key operational aspects of the so-called “Purchase to Pay” value chain
by Independent Contributor, Peter Alkema – Head: Purchase to Pay at Absa
During 2008 at a large South African bank, a purchasing hub was set up to centrally process and support all ordering from the bank’s branches with a skilled SAP SRM team that is accessible through a single, easy to remember number.
Posted by StaffWriter at 1:12 PM
World Class Operational Procurement: Where's my stuff?
Part 8 of a ten-part series that examines key operational aspects of the so-called “Purchase to Pay” value chain
by Independent Contributor, Peter Alkema – Head: Purchase to Pay at ABSA
"The request was authorised, the Purchasing Order (PO) was created and communicated to the supplier, and now the goods or services are expected to be delivered...."
Posted by Editor at 8:00 AM
World Class Operational Procurement: Three-way matching vs. two-way matching
Part 7 of a ten-part series that examines key operational aspects of the so-called “Purchase to Pay” value chain
by Independent Contributor, Peter Alkema – Head: Purchase to Pay at ABSA
Paper, paper, paper - still remains one of the most pervasive raw materials of the modern day office, which has still not been eradicated by the advent of modern technologies and supposedly integrated systems.
Posted by Editor at 7:45 AM
World Class Operational Procurement: Committing the Funds - Anatomy of a Purchase Order
Part 5 of a ten-part series that examines key operational aspects of the so-called “Purchase to Pay” value chain
by Independent Contributor, Peter Alkema – Head: Purchase to Pay at ABSA
“Until such time as a Purchase Order (PO) is created by the customer and received by the supplier, no legally binding purchase process has been initiated,” Peter Alkema, Head: Purchase to Pay, ABSA, told SmartProcurement. Although there are generally agreed principles for POs (it could be written by hand or generated by a purchasing system), it must at least display certain header and line item information. In most cases it will have been created at the end of an approval workflow that began with the creation of a shopping cart (see Part 2).
Posted by Editor at 6:56 AM
World Class Operational Procurement: Effective Requests & Approvals processes
Part 3 of a ten-part series that examines key operational aspects of the so-called "Purchase to Pay" value chain
by Independent Contributor, Peter Alkema - Head: Purchase to Pay at ABSA
Posted by StaffWriter at 10:45 AM