Comments on: Could eSourcing soon change forever? http://www.esourcingforum.com/archives/2008/01/14/draft-could-esourcing-soon-change-forever/ The source of information and best practices in strategic sourcing. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:13:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Alan Buxton http://www.esourcingforum.com/archives/2008/01/14/draft-could-esourcing-soon-change-forever/#comment-11158 Alan Buxton Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:17:49 +0000 http://www.esourcingforum.com/archives/2008/01/14/draft-could-esourcing-soon-change-forever/#comment-11158 If the recent consolidation (e.g. Bravo/Verticalnet, Ariba/Procuri, ???/Ariba, ???/Emptoris) continues, then that would signal a significant maturation of the e-sourcing marketplace. From past experience (Ariba/Freemarkets) the acquiree disappeared off the scene completely. Both of these tend to support your points 1 and 4. My view is that e-sourcing as we know it today is pretty mature, so I wouldn't be surprised by continued consolidation (as you say in point 2). But I also believe that e-sourcing as we know it today owes too much to traditional ERP concepts and approaches, as I wrote here: http://alanbuxton.wordpress.com/2007/12/21/erp-brp-and-e-sourcing/ So I wouldn't be surprised for some more market consolidation of the tedious old players followed by some new breakthroughs. But isn't this how things happen in other markets as well? If the recent consolidation (e.g. Bravo/Verticalnet, Ariba/Procuri, ???/Ariba, ???/Emptoris) continues, then that would signal a significant maturation of the e-sourcing marketplace. From past experience (Ariba/Freemarkets) the acquiree disappeared off the scene completely. Both of these tend to support your points 1 and 4.

My view is that e-sourcing as we know it today is pretty mature, so I wouldn’t be surprised by continued consolidation (as you say in point 2).

But I also believe that e-sourcing as we know it today owes too much to traditional ERP concepts and approaches, as I wrote here: http://alanbuxton.wordpress.com/2007/12/21/erp-brp-and-e-sourcing/

So I wouldn’t be surprised for some more market consolidation of the tedious old players followed by some new breakthroughs. But isn’t this how things happen in other markets as well?

]]> By: Jason Busch http://www.esourcingforum.com/archives/2008/01/14/draft-could-esourcing-soon-change-forever/#comment-11157 Jason Busch Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:06:41 +0000 http://www.esourcingforum.com/archives/2008/01/14/draft-could-esourcing-soon-change-forever/#comment-11157 David, Personally, I can't see it. Accenture/IBM stand to make far more off of helping companies get returns from SAP's (and Oracle's, for that matter) next generation procurement platforms than monkeying around with sourcing software. But who knows. I will happily eat crow if I'm wrong. David,

Personally, I can’t see it. Accenture/IBM stand to make far more off of helping companies get returns from SAP’s (and Oracle’s, for that matter) next generation procurement platforms than monkeying around with sourcing software. But who knows. I will happily eat crow if I’m wrong.

]]> By: Eric Strovink http://www.esourcingforum.com/archives/2008/01/14/draft-could-esourcing-soon-change-forever/#comment-11156 Eric Strovink Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:07:58 +0000 http://www.esourcingforum.com/archives/2008/01/14/draft-could-esourcing-soon-change-forever/#comment-11156 Why buy the cow when the milk is free, or practically free? The discounts and services concessions demanded by large consulting/BPO firms often drive e-sourcing margins to the bone. However, as you say, it has happened before, so it could happen again. Why buy the cow when the milk is free, or practically free? The discounts and services concessions demanded by large consulting/BPO firms often drive e-sourcing margins to the bone.

However, as you say, it has happened before, so it could happen again.

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