This book was created in the spirit of learning from nature in the field of professional purchasing. It describes real-world purchasing problems faced by companies as well as individuals and presents natural hands-on solutions that apply scientific approaches. The book answers what the core of purchasing could be, the inner structure of it or in other words the natural way. Nature masters effectiveness based on immanent laws and ensures efficiency by best results for minimal invest. Especially in complex and ambiguous situations, purchasers benefit from this book by understanding the broader context with the help of recent scientific research. Focusing on the problems that purchasers face in managerial practice rather than oversimplified generalizations, the book features step-by-step explanations, allowing readers to find tailored solutions to address challenges in key purchasing areas. The book was written in collaboration and with the help of experts in purchasing and logistics, biology, law and economics, human resource development, media and sports, and merges perspectives from theory and practice to provide natural strategies for purchasers.

Includes a list of members.

The Fourteenth Edition of Purchasing and Supply Management provides a comprehensive introduction to the purchasing and supply chain management field, supported by over 40 case studies. Cases cover purchasing and supply chain issues in a variety of settings, from process industries to high tech manufacturing and services as well as public institutions. The text focuses on decision making throughout the supply chain. Based on the conviction that supply managers, in concert with suppliers and distributors, have to contribute to organizational goals and strategies, this edition continues to focus on how to make that mission a reality.