The three trends to watch for in procurement in 2015


Looking back at 2014 and the challenges that have been faced and overcome we look at what might be top of the agenda in 2015.  We look at three specific areas and assess their impact.

Striving for value

Deploying technology

Strategy fulfilment

As procurement professionals we have always sought value in our actions.  It’s important to understand that when we identify “value” we mean it in terms of both cost and outcomes.  We strive for the most financially beneficial deal, this is easy to judge, what is much harder is identifying the true value achieved in terms of outcomes.  Outcomes are not always immediate and to truly identify the value of outcomes we must track the benefits that have been achieved from the delivery of outcomes.

Many companies look no further than standard IT and an isolated approach to procurement. Using e-procurement tools not only makes the processes easier to run and co-ordinate but it also provides clarity and the ability to maintain a clear audit trail.  Some software solutions offer a number of procurement methodologies and these methodologies can be deployed to achieve strategic advantage.  Those procurement that don’t offer technology solutions to support their professionals are at a disadvantage; and this disadvantage has the potential to disadvantage their clients.  The use of technology enables global operations and real time support to organisations in their procurement operations.

Identifying a strategy is but one element of the challenge, the next element of that challenge is to ensure that the measures put in place help deliver the strategy and the benefits to the business.  A failure to create a strategy pathway (a means for ensuring that the strategy truly delivers benefits) will either hinder the enactment of the strategy or prevent the fulfilment of the strategy. 2015 is the year when organisations with strategic goals can ensure their success by ensuring that the enactment of the strategy is fully supported.

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