The Top 3 ERP Transformations that Support Buyers

Posted: 07/19/2021 - 00:00
Author: Matt Mindrum
The Top 3 ERP Transformations that Support Buyers

B2B companies are currently up to their necks in “digital transformation.” They're moving at a rapid clip to enhance the customer experience through technologies that automate processes while focusing on marketing, sales, and e-commerce. While this was percolating before COVID-19, it’s now all-encompassing and tied into the overall business strategies. On the back end, ERP providers and their VARs are scrambling to keep up. Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to take a step back and look at this through a different lens.  

How the Pandemic Changed Outsourcing for the Foreseeable Future

Posted: 07/13/2021 - 09:00
Author: Carlos Meléndez
How the Pandemic Changed Outsourcing for the Foreseeable Future

Because of the vulnerabilities that the pandemic has laid bare, many companies are re-thinking their sourcing strategies. While these issues have been most apparent in goods produced overseas, companies are also re-evaluating the wisdom of relying on providers in far-off locations with different time zones and geographies for outsourced services, such as AI and software development. For this reason, according to consulting firm MJV Technology & Innovation, the interest of Fortune 500 companies in nearshoring has significantly increased during the pandemic.

4 Tips to Improve Supply Chain Resilience

Posted: 07/12/2021 - 09:00
Author: Purvee Kondal
4 Tips to Improve Supply Chain Resilience

The year that started the global pandemic also brought more than just the coronavirus. The world became acutely aware of the weak links within the global supply chain. At the onset, product and people movements were challenging. We saw supply shortages not entirely driven by hoarding behavior, but because the supply chain was stuck.

The question became this: How do we get people and products moving safely, without jeopardizing employees’ health, safety and well-being, as well as customers?

Reclaiming Value with Strategic Contract Lifecycle Management

Posted: 07/09/2021 - 09:00
Author: Jim Bureau
Reclaiming Value with Strategic Contract Lifecycle Management

Poor contract management costs businesses up to 9% percent of their annual revenues.  Contracts determine the flow of an organization’s finances and directly impact customer satisfaction, savings, risk exposure and productivity. However, organizations can have thousands of working contracts at any given time—each with their own set of set of risks, terms and expectations.

Data is Key to Latin American E-Commerce Logistics

Posted: 07/08/2021 - 09:00
Author: A.J. Hernandez
Data is Key to Latin American E-Commerce Logistics

As has happened everywhere in the world, shopping and buying habits in Latin America have been profoundly affected by the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Once a laggard in e-commerce, it is now the fastest-growing regional e-commerce market in the world; last year, total retail e-commerce sales in Latin America grew 36.7%, to $84.95 billion.

Keeping Employees Safe in 2021 and Beyond

Posted: 07/02/2021 - 09:00
Author: Josh Price
Keeping Employees Safe in 2021 and Beyond

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the global workforce in a variety of ways, with employee health and safety catapulted to the forefront of business concerns. Even with vaccination rollouts and months of experience navigating a worldwide pandemic, the future of the global workforce remains uncertain.

When Alibaba.com surveyed 5,000 SMB decision-makers in September 2020, keeping employees healthy and safe while reopening in-person operations was reported as the number one concern among employer firms in 2021.

Contract Provisions for ESG in Your Supply Chain

Posted: 07/02/2021 - 01:36
Author: Hannah Genton
Contract Provisions for ESG in Your Supply Chain

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors are becoming increasingly important in supply chains. Consumers are demanding more transparency and better practices than ever before. Meanwhile, millennials are putting their money where their mouths are and increasingly investing in companies that align with their environmental and societal values.

Best Practices for Contract Development and Negotiations

Posted: 07/01/2021 - 09:00
Author: Sunny Lee
Best Practices for Contract Development and Negotiations

With so many elements and technologies present in every vehicle on the road, the ecosystem behind the vehicles we drive is massive. Navigating the business side of the automotive and technology worlds requires partnerships, and deals are happening constantly behind the scenes as suppliers and OEMs align with the goal of creating the next big thing in the world of autonomous vehicles and vehicle technology.

When Outsourcing Leads to Agility and Innovation, You’re Doing It Right

Posted: 06/30/2021 - 09:00
Author: Ellen Hahn
When Outsourcing Leads to Agility and Innovation, You’re Doing It Right

COVID-19 resulted in over 20.5 million jobs lost in the U.S. alone. As the economy recovers, workforce participation is at an all-time low, falling to 61.2% in March 2021, the lowest it's been since 1976. Unemployed, laid off and furloughed workers that do return to the workforce do so with a fundamental shift in the mindset, impacting how and where work gets done.

The Role of a Procurement Center of Excellence

Posted: 06/29/2021 - 09:00
Author: Omer Abdullah
The Role of a Center of Excellence

Centers of Excellence, or CoEs, are part and parcel of every progressive procurement organization. In the strict sense, they’re internal bodies that perform knowledge-based services on a one-to-many basis for the procurement function and other related stakeholders.

In this piece, I discuss the role of the Center of Excellence in a procurement department, the types of issues they grapple with, and how can they work to ensure that they’re playing a strategic role and helping to facilitate real change across the procurement team.

Why Hiring Professionals Should Take a Skills-Based Approach

Posted: 06/27/2021 - 09:00
Author: Dina Bayasanova
Why Hiring Professionals Should Take a Skills-Based Approach

Saving time and money while maintaining high standards have always been important issues for hiring professionals in the sourcing space. Yet with Covid having impacted the job market in the past year, the pressure to fill roles with the right candidates has never been greater.

Clearly, hiring professionals need smart solutions that can get results while maintaining agility and cost-effectiveness. Old methods of hiring like the resume alone just don’t cut it anymore, especially in an economy where people are shifting careers more than ever.

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