With our profession rapidly moving towards embracing the Web 2.0 platform as a primary networking tool, Procurement Insights is pleased to be the first Blog to develop and introduce our unique Professional Profile Service.

Created as a means of elevating the industry profile of supply chain professionals, this comprehensive program includes site recognition as well as social media profile development.

By becoming connected, you will broaden your network of contacts thereby positioning you to maximize your potential relative to the growing number of opportunities that are available to supply chain professionals.

To find out more about this exceptional program, contact me via my personal e-mail at jwhansen@procureinsights.com.

Professional Spotlight: Tim Oakley C.P.P. (Vancouver, B.C.)

A consumate sourcing professional with extensive expertise in the hospitality sector, Tim Oakley has a proven track record with a number of the industry’s top organizations.

Tim’s initiatives have consistently ...

Traditional membership models for many associations have become somewhat stagnate in that they are not effectively aligned with the emerging Web 2.0 world of dynamic engagement between stakeholders sharing the same interests and goals.

According to CPPC-CCMP President Kathleen Muretti, recognizing and responding to this changing landscape is a key tenet of her council’s value proposition.

Building on their “Together in the Public Eye” platform, the council leadership understands the unique challenges members face in a world of increased scrutiny and dynamic change. For this reason, organizations such as Muretti’s need to be more than a mere collection of names in which member count alone is the defining measurement of success. To be effective, the modern day council (or association, institute) needs to create and facilitate an environment in which an “active” and “timely” collaboration of ideas and ideals are the cornerstone of a relevant program of service.

In fact Muretti, who stated in a recent ...

Network Member Question

As far as I know, sometimes the terms “purchasing” and “procurement” can be used as the same meaning. But in many cases it seems that both have different boundaries or meanings. So what is really the meaning behind the terms?

Kurt Binh

Owner, SCM Vietnam – Supply Chain and Logistics Consulting

Viet Nam


My Response

In the traditional sense, there is a significant difference in that purchasing merely reflects the act of acquisition, while procurement encompasses more elements of the supply chain (re logistics, transportation etc.).

One might even consider purchasing to be the poor man’s version of procurement.

That said and for all intents and purposes, the debate (if one could call it that) is moot.

As a result of Supply Chain awareness increasing at the executive level due to its importance to an organization’s bottom line, defining and confining the role of the purchasing department to such a narrow scope does a disservice to the profession.

In an article ...

shippingworkz is an industry specific opportunity and networking portal designed for the maritime and transport industry. In essence, shippingworkz is the first site of its kind to combine the power of the internet for use as both a networking tool and for linking talent with leading job opportunities.

“it workz for you” is a critical part of our message. Why?

It is designed for you. shippingworkz is designed with the end-user in mind. Upon registration (it is Fast, Free and Easy – FFE!), you will have full access to our industry relevant content, current industry news, helpful resources and unique perspectives from within and outside the industry.

In addition to unique and fresh content, shippingworkz’ key focus is on creating a forum for our members to publish on our site, a public profile of themselves based on their individual preferences. shippingworkz will be adding a networking tool soon. In addition, shippingworkz members will have access to its sister site, www.logisticsworkz.com coming ...

As popularity for the Procurement Insights Blog continues to grow I spent a great deal of time and thought on how to make my expanding library of white papers, reports and studies available to my readership.

Specifically, how do I provide you with optimal access to assess the veracity and applicability of my work on a cost basis that makes sense?

Along these lines, and based on the responses I received to a recent survey, I will be building a Free Access Library (http://procureinsights.wordpress.com/procurement-insights-free-access-library/) in which there will be a nominal download fee for each paper and service of between $5 and $25. Sort of a “knowledge-based” shopping mall that provides everyone with the ability to pick and choose papers dealing with the subject matter that is of interest.

Once you have had an opportunity to review the quality of the content, and determine that the Procurement Insights Free Access Library is a resource that you will want to repeatedly use in the future, an annual ...

Member Question:

What’s the #1 reason Six Sigma initiatives fail? (Maybe Six Sigma needs to be applied to Six Sigma . . . ?)

My Response:

At a Value Network Summit in 2007 Glenda Turner (a Supply Chain Integrator with Boeing) made the following statement; "Now that I know the value networks methodology, I would not consider doing a Six Sigma, lean or any other kind of project without first doing a VNA to provide the systems context for the initiative."

Similar sentiments regarding the VNA methodology were also expressed by Stephen Slade (a Director at Oracle) as well as Dr. Henning Kagerman (Chairman and CEO, SAP).

This leads to an obvious question, what is a Value Network Analysis (VNA) and why is it being seen as the way of the future over Six Sigma, SCOR or for that matter any of the other current methodologies?

As indicated in one of my previous responses, when organizations such as Boeing (http://kmblogs.com/public/blog/188133) refer to a complex adaptive network, what they are really discussing ...

Question:

There are mixed opinions, some believe that a Project Manager needs to be very strong Technically (e.g. Java, Mainframe, DW) others believe that a Project Manager needs to be strong in Management skills like Planning, Organizing, Directing, Contolling etc. and it is good to have a Technical background.

Question Submitted By:
Abhijit Ganguly, PMP, MPM, MBA
Project Manager
United Health Group

Gurgaon

My Answer:

While a "working" technical understanding is beneficial, the ability to communicate and coordinate diverse stakeholder interaction is critical.

Unfortunately, and like a politician stumping for votes, proclamations by senior executives (and many industry pundits) that “people” and “not technology” are what is “important” rarely translates from the realm of oratory pontification into meaningful real-world application.

This is due in large part to the fact that outside of the framework of political correctness, communication as Bill McAneny offered in his book Frankenstein’s ...