Examples of Tools for Strategic Sourcing
Why Gather Supply Industry / Market Intelligence?
Executed in a "smart" manner, supply market intelligence assists in identifying: :
- Product / service technology development road-maps
- Process / service delivery technology development road-maps
- Supply industry characteristics such as:
- supply chain architecture
- distribution
- unique selling points (USPs) - to assist in identifying key value drivers.
- cost breakdowns - to assist in identifying key cost drivers.
- Supplier characteristics such as:
- those which correspond to advantaged cost / value drivers
- Etc.
Google Isn't Sufficient
Arguably much reliance is placed upon the use of search engines and Google in particular. However, even Google has substantial limitations. A great deal of valuable supply industry market information, although it is immediately available over the internet, is not and will never be available to search engines. This includes subscription or pay as you go (by credit card) based market intelligence; to which search engine access is blocked. Despite being charged sometimes at premium rates, it can provide extraordinarily valuable information, much more rapidly than unpaid means. Strategic sourcing consultancies routinely access this type of information and within several days can cover ground which would otherwise take years to glean by traditional means.
Business Libraries
Subscriptions may be required for some of the following services.
Global Industry Analysis Tools
Supplier Directories
- Kompass
- Europages
- Thomas Register
Leading resource for information on industrial products and services with over 170,000 manufacturers and extensive company and product information. Strong in the USA.
- Chemindustry worldwide search engine of the chemical industry
- India Trade Zone
- Foreign Embassies & Trade Missions in the UK
If supply industry research has identified, for example, that suppliers in a particular country are likely to have cost (or value/differentiation) advantage, then embassies and trade missions often have good access to specific directories for their own countries.
Trade Associations
- UK Trade Associations
British trade associations will have associations with their counterparts in other countries.
Information Brokers
- Rocsearch
Ex McKinsey researchers based in India with access to database hosts such as:
On Line Supply Market / Industry Research / Analysis Tools
- Lexis Nexis Purchasing / Nexis
Information for purchasing available through the pay as you go mechanism
- Market Research.com
Collection of 50,000+ publications from over 350 research firms in 20 industry segments.
- Freedonia
- Frost and Sullivan
- Keynote
- Thomson Investext - offer extensive list of sources. Over 1,400 providers of in-depth research reports on companies and industries worldwide available.
- Manta
ECNext's business information portal which offers free research on more than 60 million companies.
- Reuters
Investor information, media information, news releases, and company analysis from the UK.
- Hoovers Business Library Info
Profiles all publicly held companies with up to date financial and executive management news.
- Standard & Poor's
Provides information about economic trends on major US industries and market secturs including textual and statistical analysis.
- Media Finder
Comprehensive database of print media in the U.S. and Canada.
Trade Shows & Exhibitions
- Trade Show Central - Internet based provider of event management listings for all major tradeshows and association events.
Financial Data
- ICC credit checks
- Dunn & Bradstreet
Provides public and private company credit rating, financial and key management officials to over 70 million companies worldwide.
- SEC Edgar
Provides regulatory filing (10K, 10Q and Annual Financial Reports) information for all publicly held and Securities and Exchange Commission regulated companies.
- Free Edgar
Free access to basic SEC Edgar Filings and basic document search.
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Currency Conversion Rates
Other information
- the Client Company's standard terms and conditions of contract can be found on the Client's Intranet site and on www.theclientcompany.com.
Training Material
Guidelines
Standard Forms
Follow the link for Standard Forms for Purchasing.
Questions ?
Read our Frequently Asked Questions page first and if you can't find the answer there email: xxxxxxxx@theclientcompany.com. Queries about the Purchase Order approval process should be made to the appropriate Finance Manager.
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