- 03
- NOV
- 2011
It’s back again: Our annual executive procurement survey
Author: Maggie Slowik - Categories: Working Capital
The PIU is now in its third year to run its annual executive research venture, the CPO Strategy survey. This poll allows senior professional buyers from across geographies and industries to benchmark the function’s changing agenda, priorities, challenges and maturity. more
- 05
- OCT
- 2011
Can procurement cope with market volatility?
Author: Jonathan Webb - Categories: Economy & Current Affairs, Working Capital
During a week of uncertainty surrounding European sovereign debt and doubts over the future of the euro, the new business environment looks highly challenging. The PIU will shortly launch new research on managing procurement in a state of market volatility. As a part of this, we will be developing a guide for buyers on how to develop a resilient supply chain during a state of uncertainty. more
- 20
- SEP
- 2011
What is the best procurement strategy for the recession?
Author: - Categories: Working Capital
Procurement, representing a high proportion of costs, is a critical area of improvement for private equity firm when trying to turnaround companies. Managers and owners need to focus on this particular aspect of the business and choose the right strategy to improve performance and profitability. more
- 13
- JUL
- 2011
Greece and Italy: how stalled capital flows disrupt the supply chain
Author: Jonathan Webb - Categories: Economy & Current Affairs, Working Capital
Italy has become the new victim of negative speculation on the global financial markets. But, as the economy is 'too big to bail' the repercussions of sustained doubt within the world's third-largest debt market could have a significant impact on the global supply chain. more
- 02
- APR
- 2011
PIU Insider: Consolidation and spend management providers - D&B buys Supplierforce
Author: Ben Ngobi - Categories: Working Capital
Dun & Bradstreet, the world's leading provider of global business information, tools and insight, will today announce an expansion of its product and service offering by purchasing the end-to-end supplier management software-as-a-service platform, Supplierforce. more
- 25
- MAY
- 2010
Ariba Discovery will be the eHarmony of the Commerce Cloud
Author: Mark Perera - Categories: Spend Analytics, Technology & Apps, Procurement Strategy, Working Capital
At yesterday's analysts' presentation, the Ariba management team laid out their vision of the future for the spend management company. At the heart of this vision is a movement away from 'spend management' to become pioneers of the 'commerce cloud'. In short, Ariba's Commerce Cloud does not really offer any new products to its customer base, but it marks the point where all current Ariba solutions are now available On-Demand and are, in theory, fully integrated. more
- 16
- OCT
- 2009
Supply chain finance: Three’s company
Author: Mark Perera - Categories: Working Capital
Seen as a win-win-win trade finance solution that can solve your working capital problems as well as shore up your supply base, is supply chain finance the real deal? more
- 13
- AUG
- 2009
Prompt payment fails to hit the spot
Author: Amy Huntley - Categories: Working Capital
‘Too little – too late’. That was the response from the majority of commentators when the UK Government, alongside the Institute of Credit Management, unveiled its prompt payment code for suppliers at the tail end of what was, by anyone’s standards, a miserable 2008 for global business. The aim of the code was to enable suppliers to receive payment for their goods and services at a far quicker rate in order to avoid the kind of cash flowcrisis that had crippled many small and medium-sized enterprises since the onset of the credit crunch. “The code focuses on ensuring firms pay their suppliers on time and do not attempt to change their payment terms retrospectively. This will be essential to help smaller firms maintain cash flow in the months ahead,” said Business Secretary Lord Mandelson. more
