Tag Archives: procurement

Zycus and the Supply Risk Explosion

“Ten or fifteen years ago, you could not convince most procurement and supply-chain professionals to talk about supply-risk management. Today you can not get them to stop talking about it.” That is what Zycus, the self-proclaimed spend management experts, claims in their latest whitepaper  “The Supply Risk Explosion – Building a business culture that can cope“. I must admit that they do indeed have a point. Today’s list of supply-related risks can seem nearly infinite: supplier bankruptcy, tight credit, emerging capacity constraints, commodity price inflation, low inventories, product recalls, supply-chain globalization, supply-base rationalization, corporate cost cutting, dangerous management decisions, currency fluctuations, terrorism, increased regulatory activity, outsourcing, sustainability, social responsibility, social media, unfair trade practices, and so much more. How can any firm not be overwhelmed by this?

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Book Review: Procurement Risk

“Do yo like living dangerously? Then you should read this book. It exposes you to over seventy types of risk you  you can take in your business life.” Those are the opening words of the most recent book on my night stand.  Written by Richard Russill, the title Procurement Risk is perhaps misleading, as this book risk is just as much about supply chain risk or enterprise risks in general. In fact,  the book makes a strong argument for procurement risk management being just a short step away from business continuity management. Not only will this book help procurement professionals to lift their head from their desks and gain a wider perspective on possible ramifications of their purchasing decisions, it will also help top managers to seeing procurement as a crucial contributor to a company’s well-being and competitive advantage.

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