By Robert A. Rudzki, Douglas Smock, Michael Katorke and Shelley Stewart Jr.

During the past 20 years, the procurement and supply chain profession has radically evolved. Once a tactical and back-office function, it is now a strategic business opportunity that can be fundamental to the success of any organization. A few leading companies have achieved an enormous competitive advantage and outstanding bottom-line performance by incorporating a procurement and supply chain strategy into their core corporate strategy. Why haven’t more companies seized this same opportunity? The reason is very simple: a lack of understanding at the senior executive level. Virtually all books on procurement and supply chain have been written for the day-to-day practitioner. Now, there is a book to explain this opportunity to all corporate executives, and also illustrate the leadership role the senior executive needs to play. Straight to the Bottom Line will enable senior corporate executives to turn the enormous top-line and bottom-line potential of supply chain and procurement into reality.

Key Features

•     Provides a clear understanding of the performance improvement opportunities, and what is at stake if these opportunities are overlooked, written by and for senior corporate executives
•     Outlines a powerful and logical approach for assessing the state-of-the-art in their organization
•     Offers ways to estimate the specific opportunities related to implementing a change in strategy and practices
•     Details a comprehensive framework for organizing the transformation plan, across multiple dimensions
•     Gives advice on which areas to focus on first, in order to build and ensure success
•     WAV offers free downloadable resources such as a presentation detailing how modern supply management can improve ROIC and a lost opportunity calculator to quantify the impact of "maverick buying" — available from the Web Added Value™ Download Resource Center at www.jrosspub.com

Table of Contents

Part One: Executive Assessment – Pre Transformation

Chapter 1: The Opportunity
Chapter 2: Where Are You Now?

Part Two: An Executive Roadmap to Successful Transformation of Supply Management

Chapter 3: Goals: The Right Place to Start
Chapter 4: Supply Management’s Role: Process Integration!
Chapter 5: Pick the Right Leader: Look for Great “People” Skills
Chapter 6: Corporate Structure: Lead From the Center
Chapter 7: Innovation and Technology: From Auctions to Optimization
Chapter 8: Measurement and Expectations: Show Me the Money, and What’s Reasonable to Expect?
Chapter 9: Transformation: Making the Changes Stick

Part Three: Post Transformation: Best-in-Class Examples from Supply Management Transformation

Chapter 10: Automotive: A Tale of Two Spenders
Chapter 11: Consumer Products: Procter & Gamble
Chapter 12: Aerospace & Industrial: United Technologies

Part Four: The ABCs of Best-in-Class Practices

Chapter 13: Strategic Sourcing: Your Most Important Tool
Chapter 14: Supplier Relationships: The Advantages of Partnering Well
Chapter 15: Supplier Diversity and Supplier Recognition: Expanding Your Base and Building Momentum
Chapter 16: Low-Cost Country Sourcing: Today’s Game-Changer
Chapter 17: Negotiations Management: Homework and Preparation Pay Big Dividends
Chapter 18: Contract Management: Apply Supplier-Centric Strategies
Chapter 19: Risk Management: When – and How – to Hedge Your Bets
Chapter 20: Consortium Buying: The Good, the Bad and the Internet
Chapter 21: Asset Recovery: Why the Scrappies Drive New Caddies
Chapter 22: Consultants: To Use or Not to Use; That is the Question
Chapter 23: Outsourcing: When and Where it Makes Sense

Epilogue: A Few Final Words From the Co-Authors
Appendix A: Profiles of Software Vendors
Appendix B: Profiles of Supply Management Consultants
Appendix C: Profiles of Supply Management Outsourcing Service Providers
Source Notes
Index