Introduction
International procurement is a complex process, which has the potential to provide many benefits to the organization in the form of lower prices, higher quality and improved supplier performance. In this programme you will learn how to:
- Develop your management skills
- Build your staff into a dynamic team
- Develop a strategic mindset
- Negotiate in a dynamic fashion
- Target vision of excellence for your operation
- Locate, evaluate and manage international sources
- Implement best practices in international procurement
- Effectively draft an international procurement contract
- Manage the international movement of materials
Course Objectives of Strategic Buyer MBA
- Appraise powerful techniques for building teamwork
- Scrutinize important aspects of strategic thinking
- Evaluate the key elements of operational excellence
- Examine how to locate and evaluate new sources internationally
- Consider the impact of the internet on purchasing operations
- Review best practices in international purchasing
- Analyze ways of managing suppliers more effectively
- Study new concepts in inventory management
- Explore productive negotiating skills
- Understand the proper drafting of international contracts
- Plan for effective international transportation management
TRAINING METHODOLOGY
Participants will learn by active participation during the program through the use of program materials, exercises, video presentations and discussions on “real life” issues in their organizations.
Course Summary of Strategic Buyer MBA
This intensive program begins with a week focused on the core topics of an MBA including management of people, leading teams, strategic planning, negotiation skills development and the creation of operational excellence. The second week will be devoted entirely to the specialty of international buying techniques and best practices. Effective international buying is essential to the success of the modern business, government and military supply chain management operation. This program will focus on the best practices for locating, utilizing and managing global suppliers. Techniques for improving supplier performance, lowering prices, improving quality, shortening lead times, reducing inventory levels and eliminating unnecessary costs will also be carefully considered. In addition, we will also examine the impact of the internet on global buying activities. The main goal of this program is to improve personal management effectiveness as well as organizational performance. A prime objective is that you will leave the program with new ideas you can implement.
Course Outlines of Strategic Buyer MBA
Day 1: People Management
- The importance of socio-technical management
- Techniques for effective communication
- Motivating for results
- Enhancing your coaching skills
- Empowering employees for improved performance
- Characteristics of a successful manager
Day 2: Leading Teams
- Obtaining the benefits of teamwork
- Characteristics of ineffective teams
- Characteristics of effective teams
- Managing conflict in a productive manner
- Understanding team member styles
- Creating a virtual team
Day 3: Strategic Planning
- Analyzing the strategic planning process
- Achieving competitive advantage
- Utilizing dynamic SWOT analysis
- Focusing on vision and mission
- The importance of contingency planning
- Examples of strategic success and failure
Day 4: Negotiating for Results
- Gaining insight into the negotiating process
- Characteristics of an effective negotiator
- Developing negotiating strategies
- Employing persuasive negotiation techniques
- Achieving the benefits of effective negotiating
- Negotiation exercises
Day 5: Operational Excellence
- The Malcolm Baldrige quality award-standard of excellence
- Lessons from the best-performing companies
- Benchmarking your operation against the best
- Creating employee commitment
- Managing continuous improvement
- Creating the high-performance organization
Day 6: The Modern Buying Function
- Globalization and its effects
- Utilizing the internet for procurement
- Modern buying practices
- Assuring supplier performance
- Methods for determining a price
- Procurement’s role in the organization
- Procurement performance measurement
- Long term contract pricing formulas
Day 7: International Buying
- International buying operations
- International counter-trade
- Achieving the benefits of global procurement
- Overcoming the difficulties of international buying
- Utilizing the learning curve
- Ensuring the quality of material deliveries
- International buying and inventory management
- Reducing costs in inventory management
Day 8: International Supplier Sourcing
- Preparing to move beyond domestic sourcing
- Global sourcing
- Locating international sources
- Determining the type of supplier to utilize
- Single source vs. multiple source policy
- Source evaluation criteria
- Managing exchange rate risk
- Dealing with issues of ethics
Day 9: Negotiation and Contract Preparation
- Insights into the negotiation process
- Characteristics of the effective negotiator
- Preparing to negotiate
- Negotiating techniques
- Obtaining the benefits of supplier partnering
- International buying legalities
- Drafting the international contract
- Dispute resolution mechanisms
Day 10: International Movement Of Goods
- International commercial terms
- Buying transportation services
- Utilizing air transportation
- Utilizing ocean transportation
- Securing marine insurance
- Calculating the total landed cost
- Strategic purchase planning
- Re-engineering purchasing operations
About London
The UK capital of London is a city that combines the old and the new. It is as equally famous for the latest fashion and innovation as it is for its impressive heritage. London's attractions range from the Royal Palace to the DIY atmosphere of its markets. It is also a picturesque city of parks and of course, the majestic Thames River. The city extends for miles beyond its ancient core and each neighborhood has its own charming atmosphere for visitors to explore. London also wears its status as a world city proudly and the influence of different cultures is plain to see in the food and fashion of the capital.
Things to do and places to visit in London
With so many attractions in London, anyone can find something to delight them. Art lovers will enjoy the world-renowned museums and galleries, most of which are free. Sports fans are spoilt for choice by the city's array of football clubs. Theatre and music fans have a vast list of venues to visit, whilst shopaholics have Harrods, Oxford Street, Camden and much more to look forward to after arranging flights to London.
Some unmissable London attractions include:
- Seeing priceless masterpieces in the Tate Britain or the National Gallery.
- Watching the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.
- Visiting Trafalgar Square's famous monument.
- Marveling at the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.
- Getting a bird's eye view of the city from the London Eye.
- Tasting one of Brick Lane's famous curries.
- Browsing the exclusive shops of Knightsbridge.
- Visiting a market – Spitalfields for antiques, Camden for clothes or Borough Market for street food.
- Admiring design from around the world in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
- Looking for clues at the home of fiction's most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes.
- Strolling through one of the lovely parks, including Hyde Park, St James' Park or Kew Gardens.
- Eating Britain's most famous dish, fish and chips.
- Watching the street performers in Covent Garden.
- Enjoying the views at a South Bank cafe.