2023 GLOBAL SRM RESEARCH REPORT
TECHNOLOGY
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While our research identifies some increased investment in supplier management technology, it is painfully slow, and the discipline risks being left behind. Given the increased emphasis on supplier management that has come about as a result of the supply chain challenges of the last few years, it should be easier than ever to make a business case for a modest investment in technology that could generate huge gains in terms of performance and risk management, information sharing and creating value. A purely reactive approach to investing in supplier management technology must be avoided. In the past, this led to the fragmented solutions that organisations are currently struggling with, performance data in this system, risk data elsewhere, etc. The investment must be based on a vision for supplier management that recognises its different elements and seeks to integrate them into a fit-for-purpose solution. One approach is to look at solutions designed around a modular structure that allows the technology to grow with an organisation’s supplier management capability. The key opportunities in the area of technology are: • Defining a business case for technology that doesn’t simply rely on delivering efficiencies and headcount savings but considers business value. • Aligning any technology investment to the long-term vision for supplier management. • Transitioning away from the widespread use of desktop tools. • Driving adoption.
Technology
“Technology advances are transforming almost every aspect of our lives, yet supplier management continues to lag behind many business processes.”
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