Critically examine the contribution that strategic sourcing function makes to the firm’s competitive advantage.

Assignment Brief

The procurement process involves all activities required such as the purchasing function, incoming inspection, quality control, transportation and several others aiming to get the product from the suppliers to its final destination (Van Weele 2010). Within the procurement process, strategic sourcing is employed to coordinate all the above functions with a view to manage effectively and further develop the existing supply base. Therefore, companies need to constantly improve the sourcing process as it can be a critical factor for success and competitive advantage.

For an organisation of your choice that you are intimately familiar with (please no Apple, Zara, Walmart, Tesco or similar, unless you work there!), you are asked

a)      Critically examine the contribution that strategic sourcing function makes to the firm’s competitive advantage.

b)     Investigate the extent to which the firm has successfully applied the Procurement Cycle principles.

Relates to Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of procurement for global organisations operating in complex market environments
• Locate, synthesise and critically evaluate recent/current information from a wide range of published literature in the area of Project Risk and Procurement Management

Assessment Housekeeping:

You are required to follow the University’s regulations regarding plagiarism and citing sources and references used. Assignments may not be submitted late. Marking penalties for late submission will follow the University regulations for PMC and late submission. Please note that there are changes in the late submission process this year.

This coursework should follow a structured approach and should be prepared and presented as an academic report. You should undertake a relevant literature review that helps inform your investigation. Please also ensure that the Harvard Referencing System is adhered to and fully complied with