The Oxalys South Africa Procurement Survey, now in its 3rd edition, aims to offer unique perspectives and tactics for strengthening resilience in procurement operations, addressing the ever-changing requirements of businesses. The survey delves into crucial aspects like performance management, inclusivity, and digital transformation. Notably, this year’s edition includes a dedicated section that focuses on public procurement, unveiling the distinct obstacles and possibilities associated with it.
Whether you’re an industry professional, a government official, or a researcher, this survey offers valuable analysis, expert commentary and practical recommendations to navigate the complexities of procurement effectively. Join us on a journey of knowledge, as this edition equips you with the tools and insights to thrive amidst uncertainty and drive sustainable procurement practices.
Among the key topics presented are:
- 2023 Procurement priorities and top strategies
- Impact, performance and resilience
- Digital strategies and opportunities
- Special focus on Public procurement
- ESD and sustainability
Summary
Suppliers are at the heart of resilience, value and risk management for both the public and private sector.
The top priorities for departments are to reduce supply risks, improve supplier experience, improve security and compliance with internal policies, and drive governance and compliance in ESG. These priorities are essential to ensuring the continuity of supplies, optimising costs and providing business value.
Procurement is a game-changer with the right tools and skills.
It’s not really about a “seat at the boardroom table” being driven by the executive. It’s up to us as procurement leaders to ensure the competence and skills to “present to stakeholders in simple, compelling terms … learn(ing) how to influence people”. Are we an upskilling team with “partnering skills and technology skills?
Suren Subramanien, Head of Procurement: Africa at Unilever, further reiterated this by stating “critical skills today are digital procurement and data analytics, as well as influencing, leadership and storytelling. There’s a lot of work to be done in terms of repositioning procurement to ensure that we have a seat at the table.”
Digitalisation remains a strong key strategy and driver throughout the survey. Procurement leaders continue to view it as the arrow in our quiver, ensuring that procurement remains a game changer for their organisations.
“Digital transformation will drive the visibility required to achieve the KPIs, improve modelling and reporting capabilities,” says Prajay Juta, Procurement Director at Tiger Brands
The future of procurement is bright. By mastering the skills and technologies outlined in this executive summary, procurement professionals can ensure that their organisations remain resilient, valuable and compliant.
Acknowledgements
This report draws upon the findings of an extensive research effort, combining an online survey conducted from March to April 2023 and 14 qualitative interviews, which garnered an impressive 278 responses.
We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in this endeavour, whether by providing input during its development, contributing to the data interpretation, or engaging in various capacities. We would like to extend a special appreciation to Thandy Pino (Cert. Dir®, MBA, MCIPS), Melita Ntsane, Derek Kinnear and Debbie Tagg, for their valuable contributions.
To our esteemed readers, we hope that the outcomes presented in this survey will ignite profound contemplation and lead to fruitful discussions.
To access the interactive PDF report, kindly fill out the form located at the top right corner of this page: 2023 South Africa Procurement Survey | Oxalys South Africa.
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