Aligning Procurement and Supply Chain for Business Advantage: Purchasing and Supply Chain Should Be Allies, Not Rivals, Insists Shirley Cooper, Procurement and Supply Chain Director at Computacenter, And President of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (Procurement Strategy‪)‬

The global economy has come through one of its most difficult periods in the last decade, with the recession affecting all major European and American markets. The net effect of these troubling times has been that many companies have been forced to re-think how they do business. One of the major changes has been the greater involvement of procurement in all parts of the business, including supply chain. The quality and improvements, which efficient procurement and supply chain practices can deliver--particularly where these groups collaborate effectively--are undeniable, so it is important that organizations consider how best to align these practices to boost business success and overcome any cultural and working challenges. Optimizing Procurement