Strategic Sourcing in the New Economy

"An essential factor for analyzing effective buyer/seller relationships is recognizing the changing role of power in business. The 21st century has brought a new meaning to what it means to be powerful. In a simpler time, power basically equated with wealth and/or unquestioned authority. Power is no longer about wielding a big club against others who carry small sticks. Information is power. Technology is power. Influence is power. Black swan moments are power. Innovation is power. Speed matters. The days of ruling your world with muscle are over. Traditional power plays work best when you control the environment. The problem? We live in a world that is impossible to control. Even the most successful Fortune 500 companies can be brought down by a couple of guys in their garage who have a new and better idea. Today's success is defined by one's readiness to embrace dynamic business challenges (or, for that matter, to take advantage of opportunities). It is not about short-term wins - but rather recognizing that true competitive advantage requires more than muscle to support sustainable growth and profitability. Those who come out the winners in the future of business will be those that navigate today's complex global marketplace, seeking coherence in long-term, self-perpetuating business eco-systems rather than conventional buyer-supplier relationships. Successful companies will be those that understand - and embrace - a full continuum of sourcing business models that allow them to align the right sourcing tools for the right environment. This book provides a comprehensive overview of each of the sourcing business models and includes excellently researched and easy to grasp business case examples that help emphasize key points. Readers will master the art and science of strategic sourcing by being able to chart a unique path that fits their capacity to apply more the full continuum of strategic sourcing concepts and tools. "-- "An essential factor for analyzing effective buyer/seller relationships is recognizing the changing role of power in business. The 21st century has brought a new meaning to what it means to be powerful. In a simpler time, power basically equated with wealth and/or unquestioned authority. Power is no longer about wielding a big club against others who carry small sticks. Information is power. Technology is power. Influence is power. Black swan moments are power. Innovation is power. Speed matters. The days of ruling your world with muscle are over. Traditional power plays work best when you control the environment. The problem? We live in a world that is impossible to control. Even the most successful Fortune 500 companies can be brought down by a couple of guys in their garage who have a new and better idea. Today's success is defined by one's readiness to embrace dynamic business challenges (or, for that matter, to take advantage of opportunities). It is not about short-term wins - but rather recognizing that true competitive advantage requires more than muscle to support sustainable growth and profitability. Those who come out the winners in the future of business will be those that navigate today's complex global marketplace, seeking coherence in long-term, self-perpetuating business eco-systems rather than conventional buyer-supplier relationships. This book provides a comprehensive overview of each of the sourcing business models. Readers will master the art and science of strategic sourcing by being able to chart a unique path that fits their capacity to apply more the full continuum of strategic sourcing concepts and tools"--