The Bermuda Triangle of Business Procurement: How to exploit dormant potentials

Not only when times are hard is procurement an extremely important factor. Here, Kerkhoff illustrates in an easily comprehensible and entertaining manner how to open up and exploit the huge potential for savings. Nonetheless at no point does he plead for "price reductions at any cost". For most entrepreneurs and top managers, procurement is not one of the management tasks with the highest priority. And this is a mistake, as this is where there is much potential for saving and optimization. The reason for this error is obvious: Very few managers have stopped off at procurement on their way to the top. Using impressive examples, Gerd Kerkhoff makes readers aware of this topic needed for survival. He shows how companies can test the efficacy of their relationships to suppliers. The result is often astounding: Savings of over 10 percent may be made. Kerkhoff the pragmatic illustrates how this potential can be used at short notice and then sustained. For example, he explains how a profit-oriented buying department should be organized, structured, supervised and managed. To conclude, the author does away with the assumption that e-procurement is the all-round cure for increasing buying efficiency.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Chapter 1 "When it comes to procurement, we think we're the world champions " A Spaniard wakes the whole sector from its "100-years of sleeping" Huge savings potentials are wasting away in procurement departments Depending on the sector concerned, the focus is on R&D, sales and marketing Procurement is a job for the boss A plea for our buyers Chapter 2 Procurement: A guaranteed return in all corporate situations How optimizing procurement facilitates rehabilitation How optimizing procurement increases the value of a company How optimizing procurement contributes to refinancing a "company marriage" Chapter 3 From traditional buying to modern procurement management The net product low continues to drop Total cost of ownership becomes a driving force for returns Strategic procurement management determines sustainable growth Chapter 4 Five typical cases from real life: The mistakes are almost always the same Case one: Buying without predefined tasks Case two: Sole concentration on design and development Case three: A fine balance between central and decentralized buying Case four: Inefficient despite suitable buying tools Case five: The buyer as the supposed all-rounder Chapter 5 Your procurement under scrutiny: Determine the unused potential for returns You have to know these data Do you buy traditionally or already run a modern procurement management system? How efficiently can your procurement work? Do you know enough about your suppliers? Do you know how your suppliers really perform? Do you really make your suppliers conform? How well developed is your procurement logistics? How qualified is your head of procurement? A self-test for your head of procurement Chapter 6 Help for self-help: The tools of success in modern procuring management What type are you: New challenges for traditional buyers Tool of success: Organization Tool of success: Analysis of potential Tool of success: Negotiating strategy What general agreements need to include Tool of success: Internet-based procurement Tool of success: Detailed tenders Tool of success: Life auction Chapter 7 Formulate ambitious monetary goals: The basis for success Multifaceted optimization goals are attainable Aims for products with a high percentage of raw materials Chapter 8 Procurement tomorrow: Important source of returns for the company The professional buyer becomes a supplier-relationship manager The buyer of the future takes on the tasks of a cost manager The role of procurement optimization as part of Basle II Glossary Appendix A personal offer for my readers Register

About the Author :
Gerd Kerkhoff is managing director of Gerd Kerkhoff Consulting GmbH, one of the largest management consultants specialized in procurement. His clients include DAX-listed companies as well as SMEs, and he is often recommended by Germany's large banks.

Review :
From reviews of the German edition: "His book develops the ideal form of strategic procurement and demonstrates which additional returns can be achieved by way of a motivated and highly qualified procurement team. Detailed checklists help determine unused potential for returns. A whole chapter is devoted to e-procurement, buying via Internet-based database systems. The book reflects the consultancy skills of its author and leaves no important aspect of modern and sustainable procurement management uncommented." Financial Times Deutschland, December 9, 2003 "The experienced expert for procurement optimization shows how even SMEs can check the efficiency of their supplier relations as well as make use of hidden potential for savings. To this end, he presents practicable analysis instruments, checklists, guidelines for argumentation and pragmatic solution ideas." Industrieanzeiger, December 16, 2003 "Useful solutions for targeted detection and exploitation of wasted potential for returns." Unternehmermagazin Nov. 2003 "How to gain the maximum from the area of procurement. Whoever takes buyers and procurement seriously can save a great deal of money." Financial Times, December 30, 2003 "Using examples Kerkhoff makes the reader aware of how to make use of inert potential profits."Handelsblatt, March 17, 2004