The importance of networking goes beyond continuous professional development and must also be seen as a business imperative: developing professionals to be competent networkers and collaborators may take time and money, but the cost of not developing professionals to be competent networkers and collaborators is potentially far more costly to the business, the individual and ultimately the public that the organisation and its professional staff serve, argue John Arnesen, an Executive at Chartall Business College, and Carin Stoltz-Urban, Client Engagement Manager at The Da Vinci Institute.
Social learning theory, a concept developed by psychologist Albert Bandura in the 1970s, suggests that learning is a cognitive process that takes place in a social context and can occur purely through observation or direct instruction, even in the absence of motor reproduction or direct reinforcement.
While this type of learning could take place at conferences and events, it also happens through informal networking – the kind of networking that allows one to pick up the phone and speak to an expert on a particular topic, simply to get information or obtain advice. Continuing education is rooted in the community, which performs an important educative role.
Life itself is perceived as a major source of learning.
The Western Cape’s only supply chain conference
In March 2015 the Western Cape will host SA’s best and brightest supply chain and procurement specialists at Smart Procurement World Western Cape 2015. See the programme >
Private sector delegates will:
1. Learn from case studies developed to address the business model for the Western Cape. Understand the Western Cape government’s changing mandate and its relevance to the private sector supply chain model. Massmart will present a case study on the effects of the New BEE Codes and sub-categories on an organisation’s current and future Enterprise and Supplier Development initiatives. Presented by Moshisi Lehlongwane, Supplier Development Manager, Massmart.
2. Understand the economic challenges affecting procurement and creating a roadmap of where we are going. Presented by Chris Hart, Chief Economist, Investment Solutions.
3. Investigate fraud management, detection, combating with a panel discussion on dealing with internal interference, external pressures and ethical dilemmas.
4. Keep their procurement strategy relevant by examining existing procurement processes to better suit corporate goals (presented by Dr Masimba Dahwa, Chief Procurement Officer, South African Airways) and implement supply quality assurance in procurement through case studies (presented by Masego Khutsoane, Group Strategic Sourcing Manager: Commerce Zone, a subsidiary of Multichoice).
5. Navigate the New BEE Codes of Good Practice through collaboration between corporates and incubators to ensure the success of SMMEs. Presented by Paballo Vilakazi, Manager: Pre-investment, National Empowerment Fund. Register now >
Public Sector delegates will:
1. Achieve enterprise and supplier development within the public sector through the use of the Western Cape database as part of a Western Cape provincial and municipal initiative.
2. Evaluate current technology initiatives around strategic sourcing; e-procurement and service delivery (to ensure the best methodologies are being deployed across the board); procurement demand visibility to ensure that procurement plans are accurate and relevant; enabling strategic procurement in Government whilst enabling compliance (BEE, environmental and local content) through strategic automation. Presented by Rynier Keet, Managing Director, Corporate Renaissance Group.
3. Implement an effective procurement risk management plan through auditing, monitoring and evaluating procurement risk. Presented by Boitumelo Mokgatle, Director: Internal Audit and Risk Management, Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, The Presidency.
4. Navigate the New BEE Codes of Good Practice in the context of provincial and municipal supply chain management. Panellists include Brigitte Brun and Maxi-lee Machado, authors of The Practical Guide to the Amended B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice) and Jenni Lawrence, Managing Director, Grant Thornton Verification Services.
5. Make compliance part of their lean strategy by aligning enterprise and supplier development with their procurement mandate. Presented by Takalani Tambani, Acting BEE Chief Director, Department of Trade and Industry. Register now >
To read the full discussion on continuing professional development through networking and events by John Arnesen and Carin Stoltz-Urban, see the latest Smart Procurement Review.
