Strategic Insights for Procurement Performance

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What is the Pulse Rate of Procurement in Europe?

By on May 23, 2013 in Contract Management, Financial Savings Management, Procure-to-Pay, Procurement Technology, Spend Analysis, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Management

Some of the serious challenges enterprises face today includes poor information quality, time-consuming and costly manual sourcing and procurement processes, weak process control and difficulty obtaining interest and support from internal spend stakeholders for procurement-led business performance improvement initiatives.

As part of a larger initiative to understand procurement landscape across the globe, Zycus commissioned the “Pulse of Procurement” research. The Europe research report offers some exciting insights for procurement organizations.…

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Supplier and Market intelligence: Key drivers in procurement strategy.

By on January 4, 2013 in Spend Analysis, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Management

Volatility is the new norm – be it political, or a natural calamity, or industry equations.  With the supply base having gone global the degree of unpredictability has increased and so has the resultant disruption.

Recently US east coast was devastated by hurricane Sandy. Many economists expect the storm to shave up to half a percentage point from growth in the fourth quarter. Major marine terminals…

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Manufacturing and Direct Materials Sourcing: A Planning Guide for the Next Decade (Part 3)

By on April 30, 2012 in Procurement Technology, Spend Analysis, Strategic Sourcing

In part 2 of the 5 part series on Manufacturing & Direct Material Sourcing we saw how leading manufacturers are beginning to factor a total cost understanding into sourcing strategies. In part 3 of the series we delve into the third key tactic – Total Cost Visibility – Total Cost Modeling at the Center of Buying and Supply Chain Activity.

Total cost modeling is an increasingly…

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3 Steps to Reducing Spend Through Procurement – BFSI perspective

By on January 11, 2012 in Procurement Technology, Spend Analysis, Strategic Sourcing

Although the economic environment is more benign than at this time last year and there are signs of recovery, banks and financial services firms are still facing uncertainty. Slow economic growth coupled with new banking regulations on the horizon — such as Basel III, which will require banks and financial services firms to hold more capital and low-yielding liquidity — could translate into unprofitable business lines and higher…

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Leveraging technology to drive business performance – Part 1

By on January 9, 2012 in Spend Analysis

Procurement over the years has evolved from merely being transactional (being cost focused) to being strategic in its approach. Technology has played a major force in the transformation and rise of the procurement function. Procurement professionals have leveraged technology in numerous areas of procurement to ensure it delivers value to the bottom line and at the same time add value to organizational processes.

This post is…

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Procurement in a Galaxy very very near you: How Yoda’s teachings apply to your procurement processes. (Part 4)

By on December 20, 2011 in Procurement Technology, Spend Analysis

“Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size do you?”―Yoda to Luke (The Empire Strikes Back)

As Yoda talks about the substance and not the size that matters, it holds for your spend solution needs as well.

In the Procurement Galaxy: Vendors might sell you their heavy weight solutions capable of doing all sorts of complex yet unnecessary…

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Procurement in a Galaxy very very near you: How Yoda’s teachings apply to your procurement processes (Part 2)

By on December 13, 2011 in Spend Analysis

“Difficult to see, always in motion is the future.”―Yoda to Luke (Empire Strikes Back)

Master Yoda talks about the non-deterministic nature of the Universe and the uncertainty of predicting the future. Living in a time where your business is not an isolated island but a part of an ecological system where subtle fluctuation in some seemingly unrelated playground has ripple effects all around, you…

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Procurement through the microscope of a Microbiologist

By on December 6, 2011 in Procurement Technology, Spend Analysis

“I’ve spent more time than many will believe [making microscopic observations], but I’ve done them with joy, and I’ve taken no notice those who have said why take so much trouble and what good is it?” - Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

As a microbiologist by qualification, I was asked by a colleague of mine regarding my views on spend management and procurement technology from the perspective of a microbiologist. To be candid…

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6 tips for getting started with cost savings in higher-education setting

By on November 29, 2011 in Procurement Technology, Spend Analysis

The last several years have seen increasing numbers of universities and colleges adopting the disciplines and processes, of corporate enterprise procurement technology. But it is one thing to decide that enterprise procurement technology is a good thing for colleges and universities, quite another to transport the disciplines from the corporate private sector into the realm of academia. This post provides 6 tips for universities to quick start cost…

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Felix Felicis for commodity managers – Would it be of any help?

By on November 28, 2011 in Spend Analysis

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”- Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD

As a buyer in the procurement department, did you get a feeling about your luck being bad when you recently made an important purchase of a commodity and it backfired? Are you looking for things to correct your luck before the next purchase?

If your answer is yes, then we are…

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