Rausing Executive Development Centre (REDC) successfully conducted a 4-day programme on Strategic Procurement Management from April 8-11, 2019. The programme highlighted how firms set their procurement strategies, and plan and execute their purchasing and sourcing activities to support organisational goals and business objectives.
It was discussed that as supply chains become more globalised, there is a need for procurement to evolve from a buying activity to a strategic business operation. Progressive organisations leverage their procurement and sourcing processes to gain competitive advantages.
Led by Programme Directors, Dr. Jamshed H. Khan and Dr. Shakeel Sadiq Jajja, the programme aimed to familiarise participants with the goal of aligning procurement unit functions with organisational priorities to develop integrated purchasing strategies and operations. In addition, the programme exposed participants to the challenges and decision frameworks in managing the procurement process as well as how to interact with internal and external stakeholders, efficiently and effectively.
The programme provided opportunities to explore discussions on Strategic Sourcing (Insourcing vs Outsourcing, Developing and Leveraging Suppliers, Suppliers Relationships and Managing Procurement Risk), e-Procurement and Negotiation in Procurement etc.
Participation from over 23 organisations from varying industries provided valuable opportunities for learning and networking including financial institutions, utilities, oil & gas companies, power sector, and telecommunications etc.
The interactive sessions were greatly appreciated by the participants. Madeeha Sarfaraz, Procurement Officer, Oil and Gas Development Company Limited, said the programme provided “great opportunities for learning, knowledge sharing and improving ways of thinking.”
Samraan Javed, Commercial Executive, Dalda Pakistan Ltd, called the programme a strategic exercise, and said that “everything was a take-away from this programme. New concepts, strategies, ideas, frameworks etc taught can be effective and efficient at the work place.”
Experiential learning through case studies and group discussions of realistic scenarios enhanced the learning experience of the programme.
The programme was well-received by the participants; they applauded the dedicated faculty and overall facilities provided by REDC.
