Managing Director of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Africa has stated that acquisition of a new skill-set in the procurement and supply chain is fundamental to moving the profession to higher heights, which will dwell more on delivering solutions to consumers and keeping beneficially mutual relationships with them.
Mr. Andre Coetzee said the constantly evolving phases of the supply profession from one that focused mainly on pricing and sales to one that is actively involved in the boardroom, require a major advancement in the competencies and attitude of professionals.
Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Branch of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply in Accra last Thursday, Andre Coetzee noted that development of the profession outside the country had moved to a boardroom function – which has brought along with it, added responsibility of integrating analytical, relationship management, strategic internal consultancy and negotiation skills to ensure the creation of excellent procurement and supply solutions to clients.
In Ghana, the supply profession is still a mile away from being a boardroom activity, despite the fact that it is at the center-stage, Andre Coetzee believes that once professionals in Ghana get the requisite skillset coupled with the appropriate competencies and active collaboration with clients, the supply practice will achieve boardroom status.
“As we move from backroom to center-stage, we cannot keep doing the same things and expect different results. It is important we change the skillset. If we can get this right, the profession can change the face of Africa, and if we are to succeed, we must lift our vision,” Andre Coetzee said.
Break the Procurement and Supply Myth
He expressed worry about the misconceptions people have regarding the profession and what professionals in this field.
The value procurement officials can bring to the table in both public and private organizations, he insists, is invaluable to the growth of these institutions.
He added that procurement in the world today involves more than driving pricing, instead involves creating mutually beneficial relationships between suppliers and buyers, considering the shift in the economic nature of gravity
Provision of solutions and not products, as well as giving power to suppliers and sharing both rewards and risks between buyers and suppliers are some of the benefits of the new skillset required to meet global practice.
The Global Agenda
He said Ghana and Africa as a whole is not an island, hence the need to work in conformity with global practices remain imperative. To do this, he charged members of the procurement fraternity to consult the latest publication of the global standard document released last July for procurement and supply in order to guide them.
“The world is a global village, we must make sure we are alive to the global best practices and trends, taking into account that we are operating in a local environment – but it very important we learn to marry the two,” he emphasized.
Andre Coetzee stated that the acceleration of technological processes, the scramble for raw materials as well as the change in the geo-political and macro-economic environment across the world must inform the way professionals in Ghana adopt to the changing trends in the supply chain.
Way Forward
In order to make progress in the supply profession, Andre Coetzee advocated a new order, which would see professionals, looking inwardly and building very good supply chain and network relationship management skills to deliver solutions.
He further mentioned that good negotiation skills, broadening the analytical base of individuals, building positive relationship management abilities and internal consultancy, will add value to the services they provide to clients in Ghana.
Apart from the development of the aforementioned skills, he called for increased levels of competencies in tactical, operational, managerial and advanced professional expertise, which will invariably move the supply and procurement function to the boardroom stage in Ghana.
Achievement of CIPS Ghana in the last year
Vice Chairman of CIPS Ghana, Simon Annan said his outfit in the past year had decentralized their activities through various social media platforms they created to bring members on board to have fruitful discussions on issues of economic relevance.
The active participation of professionals through these platforms ensured they were able to organize a maiden awards and dinner event in January this year to honour past presidents of the body.
He said CIPS joined the Association of professional Bodies in Ghana during the same period and have joined other professional bodies to present a paper to parliament to make the activities of these professional bodies regularized.
As part of the activities, CIPS joined a career fair organized by mobile telecom giant MTN and as well organized revision classes for students who had to write CIPS professional exams.
Mr. Simon Annan added that Ghana Branch of the professional body made strides in public education on the issue of procurement and supply by engaging in multiple media interviews and education sessions to enlighten the public about the profession.
He promised to undertake even more activities this year to move CIPS Ghana to a better standing than he and his executives inherited last year.
Procurement and Supply
Procurement and Supply remain an essential economic activity for good governance, which government agencies and other independent organizations,multilateral funding institutions and international aid organizations use to implement their development assistance and human relief programmes, aimed at fighting diseases,reducing poverty,and fostering economic and development.
Practicing procurement and supply chain in developing countries will ensure there is value for money through maximizing economy and efficiency in procurement,promote competition among suppliers,and contractors for the supply of goods and services and achieving transparency in the process of procurement.
It is also used for the fair and equitable treatment of all suppliers and contractors.
By Kingsley Komla Adom
No comments:
Post a Comment