Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Future of Procurement: 2020: Data Predicts the Future

Procurement data analysis has thus far focussed on historical information. In the future, procurement will be able to focus on more forward-looking analyses that are predictive. This will allow procurement to determine ahead of time where supplier defects are most likely to occur, and which parts of a supplier's processes are most likely to negatively affect the end-user.

Predictive information is already used by on-line communities such as eBay and Amazon. This information tells us how a seller is likely to behave based onPTAst behavior and which books we are likely to enjoy, based on the choices of others who share our likes.

Adapted from VISION 2020: Ideas for Procurement in 2020 by Industry Leading Procurement Executives http://bit.ly/kIwoW3

Thursday, July 21, 2011

The Future of Procurement: 2020: Communities Collaborate

It's happening already. End - users and sellers are connecting online, allowing them to communicate and collaborate.

Procurement's role in the future will be to break down barriers between their internal customers and the vendors who sell the goods and products they use. Procurement will need to develop the kinds of contractual environments that will allow these collaborations to be successful, so that they meet the requirements of legal, audit, and finance.

Technology makes collaboration easier, and confidential information can be shared securely. But people wil lstill need to meet in person. And procurement will no longer need to fill a role as an information intermediary; customer's requirements will flow directly from end-users directly to the suppliers who sell to them.

Adapted from VISION 2020: Ideas for Procurement in 2020 by Industry Leading Procurement Executives http://bit.ly/kIwoW3

Monday, July 11, 2011

The Future of Procurement: 2020: Work goes Mobile

New technologies in computing, particularly in smart phones, means that one can actively engage with people in the field or across the globe. What this should mean in the future is that more people are involved in projects than is the case now, as barriers of distance will be reduced.

Managers will be able to approve purchase orders, or check the status of auctions or invoices from smart phones, tablets, or other devices not yet in existence. As more work is done from the field, better intelligence will be brought into critical supply management and sourcing processes as well as data gathering and analysis exercises. This will lead to better, faster decisions.

Adapted from VISION 2020: Ideas for Procurement in 2020 by Industry Leading Procurement Executives http://bit.ly/kIwoW3

Thursday, July 7, 2011

The Future of Procurement: 2020: Intelligence moves into context

When intelligence moves into context, sourcing professionals will be alerted in real-time as to the possible risks as well as the available opportunities that stand between them and the achievement of real benefits. By 2020, it will be routine to be able to reach into corporate systems to pull out data that provides all the information needed to make informed decisions.

Real-time intelligence from third parties will improve in quality, and decline in cost. This will impact negotiations, as the effects of decisions on both the customer's and the supplier's bottom line will be transparent. This full visibility will affect all kinds of decision making, and should result in better outcomes for all involved.

Adapted from VISION 2020: Ideas for Procurement in 2020 by Industry Leading Procurement Executives http://bit.ly/kIwoW3