Top executives are rational people who will not be drunk on air-locks and unclear benefits; in other words, the applicant must demonstrate that e-procurement is not a cost but an investment with a clear and high return. In this article, we therefore share a simple guide on how to demonstrate the benefits of e-procurement to an organisation's bottom line, i.e. the money that implementing e-procurement actually brings to the company.

Effective purchasing, aligned with the company's key needs, contributes to long-term goals such as profitability, competitive advantage and growth in company value.

In this article we take a detailed look at the issue of home-grown software add-ons, which are found in many companies and which, despite all efforts, usually represent a major obstacle to effective and professional purchasing.

I confess that when I became a purchasing director with the authority and responsibility to develop my department, my primary focus was on developing purchasing skills, collaboration with other departments, centralization, purchasing controlling and implementing at least minimal supplier relationship management.