PROCUREMENT STRATEGY
“ A big area for improvement is getting business stakeholders involved and understanding their roles in the category management process ”
ETOSHA THURMAN CHIEF MARKETING & SOLUTIONS OFFICER , INTELLIGENT SPEND & BUSINESS NETWORK , SAP
After gathering this data Thurman believes that procurement professionals have the bones to develop and execute a category strategy .
“ Ideally they should monitor the progress of their category initiatives , to measure benefits and cost savings , and adjust the strategy for changing market conditions ,” explains Thurman .
But when asked if businesses are maximising value from their category management strategies , Thurman says she believes they are not .
“ This is largely because many of the tools are the same that category managers have been using for years .
I started my career as a sourcing manager , and the most difficult thing to do – besides finding sources of supply – was putting together a category plan and strategy ,” explains Thurman . procurementmag . com 71