Product Description

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 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 procurement 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

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #200707 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-10
• Released on: 2005-10-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

Review
"A clear roadmap for increasing shareholder value. If you are a CEO, COO, CFO or CPO, you should read this." -- - Thomas T. Stallkamp, Former Vice Chairman, Daimler-Chrysler

"A clear roadmap for increasing shareholder value. If you are a CEO, COO, CFO or CPO, you should read this." -- Thomas T. Stallkamp, Former Vice Chairman, Daimler-Chrysler

"The best book I have ever read on the value of superior supply management. It's a must-read." -- Kevin R. Fitzgerald, VP, Supply Management Research, The Aberdeen Group, Inc.

"The roadmap taken by the most talented procurement executives in America to improve the bottom line." -- Dan Meckstroth, Purchasing Council Director, Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI

A clear roadmap for increasing shareholder value. If you are a CEO, COO, CFO or CPO, you should read this. --Thomas T. Stallkamp, Former Vice Chairman, Daimler-Chrysler

The best book I have ever read on the value of superior supply management. It's a must-read. --Kevin R. Fitzgerald, VP, Supply Management Research, The Aberdeen Group, Inc.

The roadmap taken by the most talented procurement executives in America to improve the bottom line. --Dan Meckstroth, Purchasing Council Director, Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI

From the Inside Flap
"Straight to the Bottom Line provides a clear road map for increasing shareholder value. The authors detail the advantages of the theory but also show how this was implemented -- with enormous benefits -- by several different companies. Their examples can apply to any business that realizes the importance of building relationships with its various constituents.
"If you are a CEO, COO, CFO or CPO, you should read this book, before your competitors do."

Thomas T. Stallkamp, Former Vice Chairman, Daimler-Chrysler
Industrial Partner, Ripplewood Holdings, LLC
Founder, Collaboration Management, LLC

"Looking to transform your purchasing department into a strategic supply management operation that adds value up and down the supply chain? Straight to the Bottom Line can help you make that transformation. It's a book that combines best-in-class case examples with the accumulated insight of four of the country's top purchasing pros. And here's the bonus: It's practical, down to earth, and highly readable."

Frank Quinn, Editor, Supply Chain Management Review

"The authors demonstrate with vivid, real-life examples the impact procurement can have on the top and bottom line. They have provided an easy-to-follow blueprint for transforming procurement into the value-driving force that it can be within a company. Straight to the Bottom Line is a must-read for senior executives and for procurement professionals wanting to increase the impact of their procurement organization."

Christine S. Breves, Chief Procurement Officer, Alcoa

"Purchasing and procurement have been moving from a simple negotiation practice to a strategic interface with external resources. Procurement moved from simple procurement (dealing with discounts) to supply management (dealing with the optimization of supplier relationship: innovation, capacity...).

"Straight to the Bottom Line highlights these new, valuable perspectives. The book brings ideas, facts, trends, practices and this is all about procurement. Senior business executives, as well as senior procurement leaders, should give this book serious attention."

Bernard Gracia, Director, The European Institute of Purchasing Management (E.I.P.M)

"An important read for executive and sourcing and supply chain leaders. Significant insights are provided into critical issues and the strategies required for achieving sourcing and supply chain excellence and how such excellence contributes to top and bottom line performance. Company examples clearly demonstrate successful strategies.

"In addition, Chapter 9, "Transformation: Making Sure the Changes Stick," provides unusual clarity about what companies must do to both sustain and improve sourcing and supply chain performance and resulting overall company performance. Leading-edge strategies and practices, based on the authors' broad-based knowledge and experience, provide useful transformation roadmaps throughout.

"A hard-hitting book that provides guidance to executive leaders about what their companies should do to gain sustainable competitive advantage through sourcing and supply chain excellence."

Robert M. Monczka, Ph.D., Director,
Strategic Sourcing and Supply Chain Strategy Research, CAPS Research
Distinguished Research and ISM Professor,
W.P. Carey School of Business Supply Chain Management
Arizona State University

"Straight to the Bottom Line offers an insightful analysis on the strategic yet pragmatic approach to supply management. This must-read book on organizational design presents a multidimensional outlook on successfully implementing a supply transformation in your organization."

Anthony Nieves, C.P.M., CFPM
Senior Vice President - Supply Management
Hilton Hotels Corporation

"Straight to the Bottom Line is the definitive work on the application of contemporary practice and principles of procurement/supply base management. Every CEO, CFO, CPO and their boards who are interested in increasing shareholder value need to read this. When they're done, they should make this required reading for their management and procurement teams.

"The authors clearly demonstrate their wealth of experience in this work. It's the most comprehensive treatise I've read on the practice and profession of procurement/supply base management. This should be required reading for all procurement professionals, CPOs, CFOs and board directors."

Dick Conrad, Senior VP, Global Operations Supply Chain Hewlett-Packard

From the Back Cover
READ THE REVIEWS...

"Straight to the Bottom Line is the definitive work on procurement/supply base management. Every CEO, CFO, CPO and their boards who are interested in increasing shareholder value need to read this and then make it required reading for their management and procurement teams."
-- Dick Conrad, Senior VP, Global Operations Supply Chain, Hewlett-Packard

"I doubt that another book exists that explains more clearly the contribution that supply management can make to corporate success. But wait! This book also explains how to achieve that success."
-- Paul Novak, Chief Executive Officer, Institute for Supply Management

"This book is truly unique because it succeeds in addressing the problems and concerns of C-class executives, procurement management and their teams."
-- Jack O'Connor, Publisher Emeritus, Purchasing Magazine

Customer Reviews

Complexity Made Easy
Straight to the Bottom Line explains well to the layman why Western companies need a new strategy to cope with the massive shift to outsourcing and Asian manufacturers. I particularly enjoyed the chapter ("A Tale of Two Spenders") describing the lack of collaboration in the American automotive industry in the past 15 years and how that approach impacted Detroit's inability to establish an electronic communications and transactions platform (Covisint). It's a good business book. Very clearly written.

A strong case for executive management
I have been in the field of Supply Chain Management for over 15 years. As such, I have reviewed and purchased many of the text on the subject. This book represents a very easy read that crystallizes many of the concepts into useful and understandable formats. Also, many of the current myths are effectively addressed and excellent examples are provided. I would recommned it both for experienced practitioners as well as the uninitiated.

Is your company's procurement organization adding value and contributing to profitability?
Is your company's procurement organization adding value and contributing to profitability or merely performing a buying function? 'Straight to the Bottom Line' provides clear and concise guidance on how to create and sustain a world class strategic procurement organization that adds value for company shareholders and directly contributes to increased profits.

The authors have a wealth of knowledge and demonstrated success in the transformation of procurement activities. The book does not stop with a one-time cost reduction plan, but rather offers a road map for sustainable leverage and success derived from supply management. While targeted to executives, business "leaders" at all levels with a desire to make an impact will benefit from reading 'Straight to the Bottom Line'.