Maverick spend in large organisations is rarely rebellion. It is usually a decision made under pressure: this path looks faster, clearer, or more predictable than going through procurement. If bypass keeps happening in your organisation, the question is not whether stakeholders respect policy. It is whether your function makes engagement…
In Part 1 of this series, we asked the question “→ How Do You Handle Internal Stakeholders Who Bypass Procurement?” in which we explored relationships vs governance. Yes, process and governance are critical. But when enforcement is your primary value proposition, you’ve created the very problem you set out to…
You’ve read the framework (See part 1). You understand the relationship-process matrix. You know where your team sits on the spectrum. But here’s the thing about frameworks: they’re excellent for diagnosis, less useful when someone from sales is standing in your office at 4:47pm on Friday demanding you set up…
Does procurement have a credibility problem? And if so, why? Most procurement functions deliver significant, measurable impact. Thus, it’s not because it lacks value. The problem is communication. Too often, procurement speaks in operational language to an audience that thinks in strategic terms. It reports activity when executives want outcomes….
If you’ve worked in procurement for more than a week, you’ve lived this scene: A department urgently needs something. They’ve already spoken to the supplier, negotiated terms, maybe even shaken hands on it. Then, almost as an afterthought, they come to you. Not for advice. Not for strategy. Just to…
Why Procurement Can’t Scale Simple Purchases Most procurement leaders feel the same pressure from two directions at once. From the business: “Make it easy. Make it fast. Don’t slow us down.” From governance: “Keep us compliant. Protect budgets. Reduce risk. Make suppliers perform.” The result is predictable: procurement becomes the…
Tail spend has always been the procurement leader’s headache. The economics don’t work: thousands of low-value purchases, scattered across suppliers and channels, rarely worth a category manager’s time-yet collectively large enough to hurt savings, compliance, and risk posture. For years we’ve tried to solve tail spend with the usual playbook:…
In the previous article we explored the strategic opportunity of agentic AI in procurement, the potential for value creation, autonomous negotiations, and freeing up your team to focus on relationships and strategy instead of chasing purchase orders. But here’s where most implementations go wrong. Organisations get excited about the vision,…
Let’s get straight to it: if your procurement team is still just “buying stuff cheaper,” you’re leaving serious money on the table. Across Australia and Asia-Pacific, the best procurement leaders have woken up to a new reality: their function is not some dreary cost centre but a roaring cash engine,…
While most procurement teams are still debating whether to use ChatGPT for writing RFPs, forward-thinking organisations are beginning to let AI agents make significant sourcing decisions with increasing autonomy. Here’s the reality: procurement is experiencing its most significant transformation since the introduction of e-procurement systems. But this isn’t about incremental…
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Comprara Pty Ltd
Comprara acknowledges the traditional Aboriginal owners of country, recognises their continuing connection to land, water and community and pays respect to Elders past, present and future.
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