Austerity Disobedience a Threat to the Supply Chain?

Authored by Mickey North Rizza

Last wednesday in Europe: Hundreds of flights were cancelled and car factories and ports closed. Trains barely ran in Spain and Portugal. According to reports, additional international rail services were disrupted by strikes in Belgium.

Beyond the obvious disruption of these protests, they also impact the supply chain. Transporters in areas affected by protests can’t deliver – leaving manufacturers in many areas (even those outside the affected zones) scrambling to find the parts they need to fill orders.

2013: The Year of Contribution Value

Authored by Mickey North Rizza

Over the past few weeks my discussions with CPOs and Procurement executives has been enlightening. In 2013 Procurement leadership will be focused on strategic objectives that provide more contribution value. Trends include Procurement objectives tied to expense reduction, cost of good sold (COGS), increased revenue, and working capital; roadmaps outlining steps to success; and KPIs to show progress.
While the trends are pretty straight forward, I discovered a few glaring holes in the plans, along with a few ideas that might start to close the gaps.

The Straw That Broke the Camel’s Back

Authored by: Mickey North Rizza

In a new blog post, procurement expert, Dr. Gordon Murray, highlights how important the little things are to overall supplier strategy and sourcing success.