Archive

It's true that ever more companies are aware of the importance of travel management.

Yet, there's still great potential going to waste.

E-procurement lowers costs for the procurement process

Chris Löwer talked to Gerd Kerkhoff, Managing Director of Kerkhoff Consulting, about the obligation of risk management in purchasing and new challenges for supply chain management.

After the earthquake in Japan, production bottlenecks are threatening especially the German automotive industry because vital vendor parts are missing – Yet, companies ignore the risk

In selecting their suppliers, enterprises should also take into account such factors as the qualification of personnel, logistics, flexibility and sustainability.

More liquidity through working capital management

Just about every car has Japanese vendor parts; 40 percent of the worldwide required technology components come from Japan. Consultant Gerd Kerkhoff explains how the German economy is affected by the disasters in Japan.

It's considered taboo to talk about business in times of human tragedies. That's why nothing much leaks out to the public concerning the other side of Japan's disasters – while many thousands of Japanese are still fleeing from...

Due to changing framework conditions in many areas, Germany's automotive supplier industry is facing numerous challenges. Since material costs are, at 45%, by far the largest cost item for automotive suppliers, purchasing is of...

What do small enterprises excel in; what are the strengths of corporate groups? A study has shown: The big ones are champions in savings. The small ones are especially innovative – and they also don't complain about a lack of...

The crisis is over; the battle continues. German automotive vendors are again in the OEMs stranglehold. During the economic crisis, the industry's power structure shifted at the expense of vendors once and for all.

After years of transparency, consultancies are now clamming up. Business developments are kept secret and new company strategies are disclosed with delays only. What's more: The new generation of consultancy managers is shunning...

Although the much-invoked credit squeeze has not come about, especially small and medium-sized companies still need assistance in getting outside capital. Alternative ways of financing are more in demand than ever before....

Cooperation with sustainable suppliers and the rigorous optimization of supply chain management under CO2 aspects provides companies with important leverage to save costs.

Until last year, Jürgen Pahl served in the function of managing director of Metro Group Buying as head buyer of the Düsseldorf-based retail giant. Since the beginning of the month, Pahl is Senior Partner of the consultancy...

Compliance is the conformity in fulfilling all statutorily prescribed as well as voluntarily imposed regulations in an enterprise. In a talk with Mathias Renz from VentureCapital magazine, Sabrina Keese, partner at Kerkhoff...

Medium and small sized businesses have one permanent objective: Increasing liquidity and becoming as independent as possible from lenders. A lot of additional funds can be generated through interdepartmental working capital...

Raw materials. Whether copper, cocoa or rubber – prices are exploding. Some basic materials are very hard to be had even. The difficult supply situation is a threat to the existence of more and more companies. And it's also...

Purchasing consultants help companies to significantly lower their purchasing costs. Their procedure: By creating competition among suppliers and through renegotiations, new, lower market prices result which are accepted on both...

Economic upswing. Business is buzzing again – but the economic crisis has not been forgotten by German companies. Unlike in previous economic slumps, this time, all sectors of the industry have experienced changes that will be...

It's frightening: Most contracts are formulated by suppliers. In this respect, buyers are giving up vital conceptual possibilities and advantages, says Sabrina Keese, partner and head of Compliance Projects at Kerkhoff...