The Coupa Top 5: Constants and change in cloud and procurement

Some times it seems the more things change the more they stay the same. This week we shared articles about things that have changed – and not changed – in procurement in the past decade; Deloitte’s annual CPO survey, KPMG’s cloud survey, Procurement Leaders’ 2015 prediction series, and a report on delays in government procurement that  haven’t changed, but the depth and breadth may surprise you.

Procurement Changes in Past 10 Years  - My Purchasing Center

My Purchasing Center’s Susan Avery’s demographic survey of the procurement industry shows many constants over the years - mostly related to age, gender makeup, and professional experience. What’s changed the most? Technology, and also the level of education and responsibility: 54 percent or procurement professionals hold at least one professional certification, compared to just 21 percent in 2003. Additionally, 40 percent now report to the CFO, up from six percent ten years ago.

The Deloitte Global CPO Survey 2014 - Deloitte

Good thing the level of education and qualifications are going up. In the latest edition of their Global CPO Survey, Deloitte says procurement professionals will have to ramp up their efforts, as the rebounding global economy will drive spending to new heights. Survey says, the procurement function will need to become more rapid, efficient, and innovative to keep up. And even though levels of skills and education have improved, there’s still a talent shortage.

Technology Predictions For 2015 - Procurement Leaders

Coupa’s own Darayush Mistry contritubted to part 3 of this multi-part series from leaders at top procurement technology companies on what to expect in procurement tech this year. Check out the whole series, with contributions from Mickey North Rizza, VP strategic services, BravoSolution and The Smart Cube’s Mark Bjedov and Mayank Taneja.

Inside the pain and peril of procurement delays - Washington Technology

For those of us happily insulated from Washington D.C.’s procurement landscape, it can be easy to forget what a ponderous process contracting for the government can be. This piece by Washington Technology’s Nick Wakeman reminds us. Nearly 90 percent of government contractors surveyed reported frequent delays, often in excess of six months. Most surprising: the scope of the delays – less than 2 percent of respondents had never experience a delay – and their general acceptance. Government customers often provide no reason for delays and act as though they are expected and unavoidable, Wakeman found.

Enterprises Quickly Moving Beyond Cost Reduction To Customer-Driven Results - Forbes  

In their annual survey of cloud computing trends, KPMG found that businesses now look to the cloud to drive more than cost reductions, Louis Colombo reports in Forbes. While reducing cost inefficiencies remains the top priority, alignment with customer success and usability is a growing focus. Expect this trend to continue as cloud computing continues to grow. And grow it will: The public cloud market is expected to reach $191 billion by 2020.