Category Archives: Sourcing News
The 12th Annual ISM Services Conference, this year held in Phoenix, AZ December 1-2, focused on many topics dealing with the challenges involved in sourcing things like temporary labor, marketing agencies, and legal services. The conference had a full agenda, covering topics such as Building a High-Impact Indirect Sourcing Function and The Five Golden Rules of Negotiation. Several of the sessions are summarized below: Enlightening Marketing Procurement: Maximizing Investment. Minimizing Waste. Presenters: Chuck Hatsis: President of Surge Consulting and Shannon Puhl, … More
An article in the September issue of Inside Supply Management, entitled “Market Intelligence Matters,” compelled me to think about the reasons why we manage the supply chain proactively and develop sourcing strategies. Fundamentally, we engage in these activities to ensure that our businesses can continue to provide world-class goods and services in a global marketplace. Moreover, we want to demonstrate that purchasing adds significant value to our organizations. In his article, Joseph Mullan references some market intelligence best practices: • Supply … More
In-depth research from TPI Momentum continues to inform business leaders around the world. Nearshore Americas, an independent news blog dedicated to outsourcing in the Americas, recently highlighted TPI findings in its post LatAm is More Than a Delivery Destination: Domestic Demand Takes a Front Seat by Pablo Velasco, a TPI director who specializes in advising companies in Latin America. Pablo’s informed discussion of the growing trend in domestic outsourcing in Latin America stems from original, objective data collected and analyzed by … More
Two years ago, oil prices soared to more than $140 per barrel. The escalating oil prices started a pattern of increasing fuel, energy and food prices. The national average price of gasoline peaked on July 17, 2008 at $4.114 per gallon. Oil prices started to slowly decline throughout the course of the economic recession. Today, oil prices are down nearly 50% from 2008, floating around $70 to $80 per barrel; however, consumers and businesses should prepare themselves are another spike … More
by Dan Wilmes In 2009, 24 ships navigated the Arctic Ocean to reach their final locations — and they did so in record time. The number of successful trips across the Arctic Ocean is notable considering that only 69 ships made that journey between 1906 and 2006. The frequency of vessels making this journey successfully has increased mainly because of the melting Arctic Ocean, which has the potential to create a new trading route for ocean carriers. An article, Ships … More
by Paul Reynolds Payers, providers, and equipment manufacturers in the U.S. health care sector have reacted differently to legislative changes over the last year. Many of the challenges & opportunities facing these groups are the same. According to TPI’s latest Momentum Market Trends & Insights Report focused on Vertical Industries, the Health care Equipment & Services market has grown every year – with the exception of 2008 – since 1994. With market penetration reaching 36 percent in 2009 and continuing, … More
By: Kevin Smilie Cloud computing is changing the way IT leaders deliver IT services and value to their customers. As companies learn about the value of the cloud through pilot projects, they gain insight into the technology, its commercial benefits, and see firsthand the changes that must be made to fully take advantage of the cloud. I recently wrote an article on this topic for the Cloud Computing Journal outlining the ways to maximize the benefits of cloud computing. In … More
The Senate bill that would overhaul U.S. financial regulations at a level not seen since the 1930’s. The legislation proposes to close holes in regulation and curtail some trading practices that many believe led to the 2008 crisis in the financial markets. The Senate bill differs from the House bill in that the Senate eliminated the $50 billion fund that firms would have been required to pay into for use as a bailout for troubled financial firms. Proponents of this … More
by Jim Kane The past couple of years have been an exciting time for CIOs needing scalable IT platforms that are cost-effective and support rigorous security standards. In addition to cloud computing, a currently less-publicized technology called “VDI” is gaining momentum and credibility for those who need similar attributes with added benefits. The server-centric VDI model, which borrows from the traditional thin-client model, can be a great alternative for organizations that want to maintain control of their applications and data … More
by Dinesh Goel Not too long ago, I shared an observation in a recent post about the Demand-Supply syndrome. I noticed that subdued demand resulting from recessionary pressures and supply exceeding the industry requirements of manpower were impacting the offshoring industry. Companies were unable to create new jobs or even sustain full operating capacity because demand in the market was so weak. Consequently, service providers needing to reduce staff shifted the balance of power to employers after several years of … More
By Jeff Croyle, Partner, TPI By now, you’ve probably heard that EHRO and Cardinal Health are terminating their HRO deal and that EHRO is getting out of the “utility-based, multi-process HR” business. It is important to understand that EDS/HP is not exiting the HRO space; instead they will continue to pursue customized HRO solutions. And EHRO will still be in the benefits administration business. Following are my thoughts on the announcement. EHRO started as a joint venture between EDS and … More
Can companies pressure suppliers for lower prices and still enjoy co-operative working relations? New research provides the answer More
Can companies pressure suppliers for lower prices and still enjoy co-operative working relations? New research provides the answer More
Amid all the debate about global warming, one thing is certain: CPOs hold the most important keys to carbon compliance More
Global plastics company Rehau looks to a small team of ‘innovation scouts’ in procurement to harvest the most promising ideas from its key suppliers More
