Supply Change

The burning question: why is it called “procurement” anyway? It used to be called “buying,” then it was called “purchasing,” then “procurement.” For awhile it turned into “supply chain management,” but it’s also been called “strategic sourcing.” Confused yet? There’s no need to be, because whatever you call it, it’s always been about buying what your company needs. And while we’ve been quick to change titles, we’ve unfortunately been slow to adapt to new innovations. Does everyone actually hate procurement? No. What it comes down to is departmental silos and lack of communication. One department might see the results of procurement and be disappointed with them, without understanding the underlying restraints and methodology that go into procurement’s purchases. In other words, everyone’s a procurement professional, but not everyone is in the profession. Think about it like this: when you buy a car, or a refrigerator, or even your groceries, you’re doing the work of a procurement professional. But buying for