CPO Rising has been actively publishing thought leadership, technology analysis, and supply management best practices for many years and the result has been a steady stream of valuable content that sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. To help our readers keep better track of our ideas on certain topics, we’ve developed a new series in which we will feature a sampling of impactful insights and recent articles on the topics that matter most to CPOs and other procurement executives (Note that readers can also search different categories by clicking on “Articles” found in the blue menu bar directly under the CPO Rising logo or by searching “Tags” under the sponsor logos on the right hand navigation bar). We’ll start with Strategic Sourcing topics as we are now hard at work on our annual report on this topic….

4 Supply Risk Management Articles You Should Read

ISM at 100: The Hidden Risks Lurking Within Supplier Relationships

From our article entitled, ISM at 100: The Hidden Risks Lurking Within Supplier Relationships: Today’s discussion is on the hidden risks lurking within an organization’s contracts and supplier relationships, which was presented by John T. Shapiro and Jeffrey Mayer, partners at Freeborn & Peters, LLP. One of the first things that Shapiro and Mayer said was that risks underlie every supplier relationship – especially in electronic communications, as it is never entirely clear who a person is dealing with. With identity theft, user fraud, and other unethical behaviors, it is relatively easy to betray the trust earned between trading partners. That is why for Shapiro and Mayer, contracting is about the allocation of risks, and it can be seen in a contract, itself. Indeed, they codify the relationship, detail prices, terms, conditions, service-level agreements, and establish liability between both parties. And according to Shapiro and Mayer, part of risk allocation is about establishing leverage within the contract – who is in a position of power within the relationship and can benefit from the relationship the most. Read the rest of the article by clicking here.

ISM at 100: Conflict Minerals Compliance – Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

From our article entitled, ISM at 100: Conflict Minerals Compliance – Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: Today’s discussion is on the state of conflict minerals compliance, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Here’s how enterprises fared last year with respect to compliance, and how current and future regulatory changes at home and abroad will impact them. Following the keynote address on Sunday, Kent Sharp, Quality and Governmental Systems Compliance Officer, Rolls-Royce North America, delivered a presentation on the state of conflict minerals regulation and compliance, and what Chief Procurement Officers (CPOs) and other supply management leaders need to consider with respect to their research and reporting requirements in 2015 and beyond. [Click here for our past coverage of the Conflict Mineral Provision (Section 1502) of the 2010 Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, commonly known as the Dodd-Frank Act]. Read the rest of the article by clicking here.

ISM at 100: Robert Gates on Global Stability and Supply Risk

From our article entitled, ISM at 100: Robert Gates on Global Stability and Supply Risk: On Sunday afternoon, former Secretary of Defense and CIA Director, Dr. Robert Gates, Ph.D., kicked off ISM 2015 with a keynote speech on the role that U.S. foreign policy and global instability have had and will have on global supply risk. He touched on a number of issues that resonate with national security and supply management professionals, alike – from the threat of traditional global powers, to international terrorism, to domestic policies and laws, and how each can and does impact global commerce.Read the rest of the article by clicking here.

Collaborative Contract Management: Procurement’s Role in Enhancing Compliance and Mitigating Risk (Webinar)

From our article entitled, Collaborative Contract Management: Procurement’s Role in Enhancing Compliance and Mitigating Risk (Webinar): In 2015, collaboration is the name of the game in procurement and frequently entails working with key internal stakeholders (like line-of-business managers and legal departments) or preferred suppliers to drive greater value through sourcing and procurement. For Chief Procurement Officers (“CPOs”) and other supply management leaders, collaboration has taken on many new and innovative forms over the years, causing these executives to leverage new (and, in some cases, existing) processes, relationships, and technologies to enhance compliance, decrease risk, and increase savings. One such business process, contract management, has been reborn with digital, automated features that can shift the way procurement teams collaborate, mitigate risk, drive performance, and realize greater savings for the enterprise. Read the rest of the article by clicking here.

We’re just scratching the surface with supply risk, so stay tuned for another curated article on this topic.

Tagged in: Ardent Partners Research, Ardent Team, Chief Procurement Officer, Collaboration, Contract Lifecycle Management, CPO, Process, Suppliers, Supply Risk, Technology