Australasian buyers enjoying 'new prominence'

Purchasers in Australia and New Zealand have gained greater recognition as a result of the global recession, a survey by CIPS Australia (CIPSA) has found.

According to the Strategic Procurement Benchmarking Survey 2009, the purchasing function is enjoying "a new prominence" and is seen as key to reducing costs.

The report, done in conjunction with procurement consultancy Portland Group, was based on the 74 responses from buyers at the top 200 companies listed on the Australian stock exchange, various large Australian public sector bodies and in New Zealand.

While 82 per cent of purchasers thought the importance of procurement had increased in the past three years, 76 per cent felt they still had to prove the value of what they do to the rest of the organisation.

The survey also revealed there are few procurement professionals at director level, with most senior roles "typically reporting in at two or three levels below CEO".

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Click here to download the CIPSA White Paper (released at the recent 5th CIPSA Annual Conference and included with the October edition of Procurement Professional magazine): The CIPSA – Portland Group Strategic procurement Survey 2009