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<\/p>\nThe last year stood out for the return of face-to-face meetings and key events.<\/p>\n
The new work modes, both remote and hybrid, proved to be an alternative in the crisis, and are still a strategic path for many businesses.<\/p>\n
And year after year, the procurement area attains new meanings and roles. Due to its relevance in business, such area has gained prominence in their respective organizations.<\/p>\n
Therefore, to help procurement professionals in their way to success, we’ve selected the top trends for 2023, based on input from renowned experts who participated in the ME B2B Summit 2022.<\/p>\n
Not too long ago, procurement professionals were simply those guys called to ‘take orders’ or ‘put out fires’.<\/p>\n
But to face the competition and the numerous challenges of the sector, buyers must be released from the operational routine \u2013 which demands a lot of effort and little focus on activities that generate value and results for the business.<\/p>\n
In such scenario, technology becomes a true ally in the daily chores of procurement, with automation of manual processes and the availability of data and information to make the best decisions.<\/p>\n
Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and robotic process automation (RPA) solutions are already a reality in the procurement world, and can make the team’s work even more intelligent, agile and productive.<\/p>\n
Adopting the most modern technologies to advance isn’t enough. As important as starting the digital transformation is the team\u2019s mindset, to promote the automation of operational processes and innovate.<\/p>\n
Therefore, cultural issues and good people management should be prioritized. Businesses and leaders should encourage professionals to seek the new, to take risks without fear and to promote changes for evolution.<\/p>\n
Digitization can start on a gradual basis and, in procurement, it’s important to involve suppliers in this journey. First of all, however, businesses must map their processes, to have a clear view about what can be improved.<\/p>\n
The dynamism of the B2B market requires people who are more flexible and adaptable to the countless challenges and constant changes in the procurement area.<\/p>\n
It has been more and more discussed, inside and outside organizations, that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.<\/p>\n
In the procurement approach, what used to be voluntary has now become strategic. ESG initiatives showed to be competitive, even with long-term results.<\/p>\n
Sustainable procurement has never been so important on CPOs’ agendas. This is because consumers are looking for a responsible attitude, including with the choice of suppliers.<\/p>\n
The growth of social bias, such as inclusion, diversity and human rights, shows that procurement must go beyond legal issues and impact society significantly.<\/p>\n
The embodiment of a culture of corporate governance and business transparency is also more and more present now in the procurement area, as a matter of survival, and technology can be a great partner in this achievement.<\/p>\n
The supply chain is now part of the most significant disruption in decades. This historic transformation has been mainly driven by technological changes.<\/p>\n
The different scenarios of B2B business show that resilience and adaptability to changes are vital to face the current challenges and those still to come.<\/p>\n
Technological advances have driven the several current regulations and, throughout history, organizations have rushed to adapt their processes.<\/p>\n
Today, advances in the procurement area resulted from of the accelerated pace of transformations, a long process of maturation of such department and crises faced by businesses.<\/p>\n
According to Deloitte\u2019s “Global CPO Survey”, leaders 4.0 are taking advantage of advanced analytics, such as AI, to predict and anticipate demands, identify opportunities and mitigate risks.<\/p>\n
Currently, the provision of insights \u2013 which can be obtained through business intelligence (BI) \u2013 promotes an easier planning journey and faster decision making processes.<\/p>\n
The buyer’s profile has changed and is more challenging than ever. Nowadays, technical skills are no longer solely responsible for the good performance of a professional.<\/p>\n
Behavioral skills, such as negotiation with suppliers, communication and decision-making, among others, are more and more crucial to achieve results.<\/p>\n
The big changes and disruptions in the job market have also impacted the way of being a leader in businesses.<\/p>\n
Traditional leadership, which focuses decisions on a single voice, has given way to collaborative leadership, in which decision-making is conducted with the participation of the team.<\/p>\n
In this post of ME’s blog, you can learn the 10 behavioral skills required to be a good leader in B2B procurement.<\/p>\n