A Wall Street Journal article recently posed an interesting question: “Is the world likely to become less flat because of the pandemic?” According to the article, while globalization was the growing trend in the early part of the new century, key drivers such as rising offshore costs, localization and a shift toward services delivery has begun to take some steam out of it.
In 1990, two business academics, C.K. Prahalad and Gary Hamel, teamed to write one of the Harvard Business Review's most influential articles on the nature of the modern firm and, by extension, outsourcing. They introduced the concept of core competence, which they called the “most powerful way to prevail” in global commerce.
Well, many companies adopt automation in only one department of their business, while the rest of the department will rely on legacy systems. An automation platform cannot perform to its ultimate capabilities if the whole company is not on the same system. When you talk about company-wide automation, many companies are hesitant to deploy automation company-wide because it can require a lot of training and the system may not be user-friendly.
There is no shortage of analysis and predictions today regarding COVID-19 and our future. While experts of all walks of life weigh in via global news channels, healthcare organizations are still left addressing the here and now as well as surges that could happen tomorrow, next week or in a few months. For those supporting the front lines securing necessary supplies and resources, it is paramount to be able to deliver what is urgently needed.
With greater attention on sustainability and the direct need to meet climate goals, purchasers are looking for ways to change. One place to start is with the 170 million notebook computers produced and sold around the world every year. Rethinking an organization’s purchase and use of IT products like those notebooks can dramatically cut an organization’s carbon footprint – and save money - without affecting performance.
Training a company’s team members is a foundational step in running a company, but it is often forgotten when busy times hit. This is a big mistake. Putting the time and effort into designing a training program that suits the unique needs of procurement will drive more effective results in less time. Employees will be better equipped to manage the various situations and surprises that sourcing across numerous categories brings about.
There’s not likely to be a lot of business travel happening within most of your companies right now. There hasn’t been, globally, for a few months, as corporations introduced blanket travel restrictions from March onwards for all but business-critical or key worker travel.
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Before getting into the topic, write down two things:
1) Your high-level definition of the term spend under management
2) What percentage of your company/organization’s spend would you estimate is under management?
Once you answer those questions, read on…
It’s no secret that marketing and technology have become deeply entwined over the past two decades. Largely because of digital technologies, the methods, tactics and channels used by marketers have changed dramatically.
COVID-19 not only wreaked havoc on public health, but it also began a cycle of disruption in sourcing and fulfillment that may never return to any semblance of “normal.” In fact, for both the short and long term, supply chain executives will need to focus on “flexible” in their job descriptions.
Amid the pandemic, it’s fair to say the outsourced service operating model, particularly in customer service, has experienced forced change. While cost has always been the key driver in services outsourcing, Covid-19 has caused a monumental shift from cost being the critical point, to risk management and quality as the metrics and measures that now matter most. Call centers have had a particularly tough time of things; the actions that many of them have taken have been admirable, but it’s becoming clearer that long-term change has accelerated to the short term.
Cloud-based platforms and globalization have pushed supply chains to new limits and capabilities, creating many new business opportunities for those who can manage the growing complexity.
Outsourcing is becoming a common way companies handle these changes and needs, but it can be confusing, especially when new industry terms crop up with little explanation. So, we're looking at three common logistics outsourcing models to explain what they are and what they can do for your business: the 3PL, 4PL and 5PL.
The disruption we have experienced with COVID has been unprecedented. Practically overnight, the workforce transitioned to de facto Work from Home. This has allowed employers and employees to prove out the Work from Home model. The reality is most of these employees will likely work from home moving forward.
The way we work had changed long before the Covid-19 crisis. And with the recent pandemic, the way work gets done might be changed forever, permanently.
The role of the external workforce or the contract workforce was instrumental for organizations to thrive in the digital era. The recent shift in workforce trends as a result of the pandemic has further strengthened the case for a flexible and robust external workforce to succeed during the testing times.
I've been working in the financial services space for close to thirty years now. I've seen many trends and technologies emerge. Some take hold, and several are just a flash in the pan. Regardless of how long a concept sticks around, one thing remains: Terminology plays a material role in shaping perceptions. In a world where messaging tends to over complicate things, too many acronyms and too many buzzwords all work against what should be the primary objective: clearly illustrating value.
