CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
9.5 % have no clear owner for dispute management at all
In an environment where force majeure claims, delivery failures and geographic shocks are becoming more common, the strongest procurement teams are not just enforcing contracts; they are preserving continuity, testing supplier intent and making sure the business can keep moving while a dispute is resolved.
But not every supply chain failure is equal, and experienced procurement leaders know the difference between a supplier caught in genuinely unforeseeable circumstances and one whose operational shortcomings relate to mismanagement.
“ In the chemical industry, there are some suppliers who go to force majeure frequently. If the plant goes down every couple of months, it’ s natural to start wondering if that supplier is actually maintaining their assets in a proper way,” explains Gaël,“ force majeure is supposed to be the last resort. Those suppliers that call on that too often raise suspicion.”
When a supplier fails to meet its commitments, while the instinct may be to reach for the contract, the most effective procurement leaders treat enforcement as a last resort rather than a first response.
“ Things happen, so I always assume positive intent,” adds Gaël
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