Procurement as a differentiator – Part 2

In the previous post (here) I explored an expanded definition of what Procurement is and how it can evolve into becoming the link between Customer Demand and Supplier Innovation.

It is important though to also explore the Procurement potential through the lens of Michael Porter’s model of Organisational Success in an effort to understand how the basic Strategies of differentiation could be reinforced through the Procurement profession.

Michael Porter

B) PORTER AND COUSINS MODEL FOR ORGANISATIONAL SUCCESS

Michael Porter in his seminal book “Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance” describes three generic strategies for businesses.

These are:

“”Cost Leadership” (no frills), “Differentiation” (creating uniquely desirable products and services) and “Focus” (offering a specialized service in a niche market)”. (mindtools)

The above easily brings to mind the airline Tigerair reputed for low cost, 3M reputed for innovation and Qantas which with the formation of Jetstar pursued the “Focus” strategy (niche market differentiation).

Reflecting on this model it is evident that Procurement can clearly respond to 2 out of 3 of Porter’s differentiation strategies i.e. Cost Leadership and Differentiation and can affect the 3rd one.

B1. COST LEADERSHIP

Cost management and cost cutting has been an archetypal quality for Procurement.

B2. DIFFERENTIATION

I believe that the second differentiator i.e. Innovation, is the next frontier. Procurement can and is slowly moving

from

“purchasing goods and services at competitive prices”

to

also focusing on cost reduction techniques, improving cycle times, reducing time-to-market, and constantly seeking to exploit actual and potential innovations from within the supply market. 

Moreover, in the current environment, and considering Strategic Supply Management, the Organization should constantly re-evaluate what is core and what could be outsourced. So, Make or Buy decisions will become more common.

As Cousins et al, highlights:

“Supply strategy is increasingly a factor in identifying the organization’s boundaries. Supply management assumes responsibility for developing and implementing supply structures that will sustain the competitive position of the firm” (Cousins P. et al, 2008, Strategic Supply Management)

B3. CAVEAT

The necessary caveat of course is that the Organization views and enables Procurement to function in a strategic and collaborative way, internally and externally, and that the Organization has and is clearly communicating the preferred differentiation strategy it has chosen to all, so, that alignment of goals and business unit strategies is ensured.

In the next and final post of this three-part series, I will explore this differentiation could look like.

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Image courtesy of Wikipedia / www.wikipedia.com