Supply Chain “Aspirations!”

Management guru C.K. Prahalad always told executives to think big.

“Set ambitious goals and then figure out how to mobilize the resources to achieve them – rather than the other way around. Most companies limit themselves because they focus primarily on what they believe they can afford.”

The first sentence in the quote helps to characterize an “opportunity-centric” organization. The second sentence is typical of a “budget-centric” organization.

Which one is your organization?

Do your senior executives understand – really understand – the enormous potential of modern procurement and supply management? Or, is that one of your challenges?

Do your senior executives understand how to achieve that enormous potential – i.e. how to build a comprehensive transformation roadmap and how they can support it?

Does your procurement/supply management department have a truly strategic role in your company? Does it get invited EARLY on new initiatives, new projects, acquisition evaluations, new plant sites, etc.? Or, is your department generally involved at the stage when some paperwork needs to be taken care of?

Does your procurement/supply management department have all of the internal and external resources needed to do the job it would like to do? Or, are you consumed by tactical and operational issues and unable to devote enough time and attention to strategic issues and opportunities?

If you are like most procurement departments, you are not happy with the answers to these questions.

So why not do something to improve the situation?

More in my next posting.

SC
MR