CIPS Australasia Linked In recent activity

Kate McKenzie, Conference Producer at IQPC in Sydney, has posed the question on the CIPS Australasia Linked In site: “What does ‘strategic’ procurement really mean? How do you define what makes an approach/initiative ‘strategic’”?

She has been met with the following response from various procurement professionals:

Darren Woolley, Managing Director, TrinityP3 Pty Ltd
In Good Strategy / Bad Strategy - strategy is beautifully defined as a solution. So I guess a procurement initiative is strategic if it solves a problem and/or therefore provides a solution.

Stan Pope National Manager: Procurement at NZ Police
There are, of course, many variants on this one but a succinct one I like is:
Long-range plans for ensuring timely supply of goods and/or services that are critical to a firm's ability to meet its core business objectives.

Dino Fornito National Manager Procurement at Fulton Hogan
Gary Hamel once said that "Strategic Planning" was an oxymoron. Does that also apply to strategic procurement?
May be that should be the discussion thread.

Sarah Lees Principal Procurement Consultant at Arts Queensland
Strategic procurement was the 'in' phrase not so long ago and it had everyone confused, some of us still are. Me. Strategic procurement for me, in Government, involves a lot of planning. Corporate Procurement Plans, Significant Procurement Plans, written procedures, Evaluation Plans, even Project Plans as well as the advice and direction I provide. I believe it is a process and/or plan that provides the frame outline for the tactical and operational procurement to proceed while proving effectual outcomes. It is a hard one to put into words.

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