The Bermuda Triangle of Business

Foreword
Chapter 1 "When it comes to procurement, we think we're the world champions "
A Spaniard wakes the whole sector from its "100-years of sleeping"
Huge savings potentials are wasting away in procurement departments
Depending on the sector concerned, the focus is on R&D, sales and marketing
Procurement is a job for the boss
A plea for our buyers

Chapter 2 Procurement: A guaranteed return in all corporate situations
How optimizing procurement facilitates rehabilitation
How optimizing procurement increases the value of a company
How optimizing procurement contributes to refinancing a "company marriage"

Chapter 3 From traditional buying to modern procurement management
The net product low continues to drop
Total cost of ownership becomes a driving force for returns
Strategic procurement management determines sustainable growth

Chapter 4 Five typical cases from real life: The mistakes are almost always the same
Case one: Buying without predefined tasks
Case two: Sole concentration on design and development
Case three: A fine balance between central and decentralized buying
Case four: Inefficient despite suitable buying tools
Case five: The buyer as the supposed all-rounder

Chapter 5 Your procurement under scrutiny: Determine the unused potential for returns
You have to know these data
Do you buy traditionally or already run a modern procurement management system?
How efficiently can your procurement work?
Do you know enough about your suppliers?
Do you know how your suppliers really perform?
Do you really make your suppliers conform?
How well developed is your procurement logistics?
How qualified is your head of procurement?
A self-test for your head of procurement

Chapter 6 Help for self-help: The tools of success in modern procuring management
What type are you: New challenges for traditional buyers
Tool of success: Organization
Tool of success: Analysis of potential
Tool of success: Negotiating strategy
What

Gerd Kerkhoff is managing director of Gerd Kerkhoff Consulting GmbH, one of the largest management consultants specialized in procurement. His clients include DAX-listed companies as well as SMEs, and he is often recommended by Germany's large banks.

"Sein Buch entwickelt die Idealform einer strategischen Beschaffung und demonstriert, welche zusätzlichen Ertragsstellen sich durch ein motiviertes und hoch qualifiziertes Beschaffungsteam erschliessen lassen. Mit ausgefeilten Checklisten hilft Kerkhoff ungenutzte Ertragspotenziale ermitteln. Ein eigenes Kapitel ist dem E-Procurement, der Beschaffung über internetgeschützte Datenbanksysteme gewidmet. Das Buch dokumentiert die Beraterkompetenz seines Autors und lässt keinen wesentlichen Aspekt eines modernen und nachhaltigen Beschaffungsmanagements unbehandelt."
Financial Times Deutschland, 9. Dezember 2003

"Der erfahrene Experte für Beschaffungsoptimierung zeigt, wie auch mittelständische Unternehmen die Effizienz ihrer Lieferantenbeziehungen überprüfen sowie verborgene Einsparpotenziale erschliessen können. Dazu stellt er nutzwertorientierte Analyseinstrumente, Checklisten, Argumentationsleitlinien und pragmatische Lösungshilfen vor."
Industrieanzeiger, 16. Dezember 2003

"Nutzwertorientierte Analyseinstrumente für ein modernes Beschaffungsmanagement.Wertvolle Lösungshilfen zum gezielten Aufspüren und Ausschöpfen brachliegender Ertragspotenziale." Unternehmermagazin Nov.2003
"Mit überzeugenden Beispielen sensibilisiert Gerd Kerkhoff den Leser für das "überlebenswichtige" Thema Einkauf." Buchreport Mittelstand Nr.3 Nov/Dez 2003

From reviews of the German edition:

"His book develops the ideal form of strategic procurement and demonstrates which additional returns can be achieved by way of a motivated and highly qualified procurement team. Detailed checklists help determine unused potential for returns. A whole chapter is devoted to e-procurement, buying via Internet-based database systems. The book reflects the consultancy skills of its author and leaves no important aspect of modern and sustainable procurement management uncommented."
Financial Times Deutschland, December 9, 2003
"The experienced expert for procurement optimization shows how even SMEs can check the efficiency of their supplier relations as well as make use of hidden potential for savings. To this end, he presents practicable analysis instruments, checklists, guidelines for argumentation and pragmatic solution ideas."
Industrieanzeiger, December 16, 2003
"Useful solutions for targeted detection and exploitation of wasted potential for returns." Unternehmermagazin Nov. 2003
"How to gain the maximum from the area of procurement. Whoever takes buyers and procurement seriously can save a great deal of money." Financial Times, December 30, 2003
"Using examples Kerkhoff makes the reader aware of how to make use of inert potential profits."Handelsblatt, March 17, 2004