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Supply chain management (SCM) is often focused on continuous production environments where the emphasis is placed on strategies such as leveraging purchases through bulk buys, forming alliances, outsourcing catalog items and minimizing nonstandard purchases. However, SCM also plays a critical role in a project-based environment where it’s often not possible, or desirable, to eliminate purchases [...]

Frame agreements are commonly used in project-based procurement, where high degrees of collaboration are required in the design, procurement and manufacture (or construction in some cases) of major deliverables. For instance, frame agreements are common in the Oil & Gas, Industrial Power Generation, Heavy Construction, Aerospace and other industries involved in the development and procurement [...]

The predominant metric for most procurement organizations is cost savings. Traditionally, cost savings have been measured primarily on purchase price, usually against some form of standard cost based on historical prices. Over the years, more progressive organizations have come to realize that for many products, cost savings as measured against purchase price history is woefully [...]

The concept of Supply Chain Management (SCM) was born of the need to transition organizational understanding of the importance of integrating its suppliers into its operations. SCM has been defined in a number of ways, but two of my favorite definitions are: The management of upstream and downstream relationships with suppliers and customers to deliver [...]

Marketing and sales executives long ago recognized the importance of developing and maintaining strong relationships with their clients. After all, people buy product, not companies. A sound relationship fosters trust and builds customer loyalty. Hence, the emphasis on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) programs. Many traditional supply chain managers view relationship building as the sales person’s [...]

Most executives acknowledge that integrating key functions and processes is critical to maximizing profits; however, few businesses have formal integration programs. Generally speaking, businesses either leave integration to chance (no emphasis at all), or in the hands of C level executives who may assume that integration will be a natural outflow of strategic business planning. [...]