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The profession formerly known as purchasing?
Ever wished you had a different name? I’ve never minded my first name (Lisa), but my middle name is Marie, so all my life I’ve had to deal with “Elvis” jokes. By now I’ve grown used to the name. It’s comfortable and familiar. Kind of like the word “purchasing.”
But sooner rather than later, we may have to give the name “purchasing” the old heave-ho.
It seems there’s a burgeoning camp of people who would prefer to describe themselves as “supply chain managers” instead of the traditional “purchasing manager.” In fact, a new magazine in the US is called CSCO, which stands for Chief Supply Chain Officer.
In its inaugural issue, there was a feature article about the CSCO, described as the “new kind of executive.” Chief supply chain officers know all about operations and information technology, and are at home in the executive boardroom.
“Their responsibilities are wide-ranging and represent the convergence of an increasing number of activities in business, including manufacturing, logistics, procurement, finance and human resources,” reads the article.
Maybe they’re on to something. There’s a lot to be said for having the big picture. In our cover story this issue, Steve Edmonds of Corporate Express points to the benefits of having an operations manager oversee everything, including purchasing. It effectively gets rid of the “silo” mentality where departments operate as islands.
Combining everything under one umbrella is a good way to ensure the left hand knows what the right is doing. It also elevates purchasing to its rightful place in the executive boardroom.
But some people feel there’s no need to shed the “purchasing” label. Companies such as Corporate Express still retain a national purchasing manager who reports to operations. If anything, logistics, IT, finance and manufacturing could conceivably fall in line under the procurement umbrella. After all, procurement touches every aspect of a company’s operations. It’s the bastion of product quality, timely delivery, operable IT systems and profitability.
From a recognition point of view, procurement has never been more in the public eye. It’s practically a household word by now. The federal sponsorship scandal and other missteps in purchasing have opened up a national dialogue on the profession.
The public is starting to view purchasing as an ethics watchdog—vigilant and willing to combat political interference, favoritism, and maverick contracts. They’ve seen what can happen if the people holding the purse strings are ill-trained or lacking in professional ethics. It makes us value, all the more, the noble purchaser who will ensure money is well and ethically spent.
We should build on this unprecedented momentum. Purchasing is finally in the limelight. Let’s not push it back into obscurity by letting it slip under the general supply chain umbrella. Keep the word “purchasing” on your business cards and resumes. It’s starting to pack a powerful punch.
Lisa Marie Wichmann
(no relation to Elvis).
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