A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO CATEGORY MANAGEMENT: UPDATED EDITION

CATEGORY MANAGEMENT IN PURCHASING: A Strategic Approach to Maximize Business Profitability, is available from 3rd March, published by Kogan Page

“Category Management in Purchasing”, the fourth edition of Jonathan O’Brien’s book, is a comprehensive guide to strategic category management and provides a step-by-step guide to its implementation and use, enabling readers to deliver value and cost savings when sourcing and purchasing.

The latest edition includes some new insights, based upon the experience of senior practitioners in industry, on how to make category management a success in the organization. These insights were gleaned through a series of one to one interviews and a dedicated survey.

The book includes general updates and contextualizes the future procurement function and an ever increasing digitally enabled, de-globalized, post-Brexit world. There is also additional material on the effect of international developments on procurement, updated tools and templates, and examples of how these have been successfully used in industry.

Jonathan O’Brien, CEO of Positive Purchasing said:

“In this new edition, I show how a strategic category management approach needs to integrate with other approaches, such as supplier relationship management and how the procurement function negotiates.

“The book connects theory and practice and provides readers with the tools to analyze complex sourcing situations quickly and clearly, and so develop innovative and creative proposals for sourcing.”

What The Experts Say:

“O’Brien’s book continues to be simply the best ever written about Category Management in purchasing / procurement, the standard and benchmark for students and practitioners alike around the world. There is also a strong argument that sales and marketing people should also read it to understand what they are dealing with! It is both rigorous and practical, with useful tools and templates as well as conceptual material, and this impressive latest edition brings more focus on technology, the future direction of procurement and category management, and insightful survey data – it is thoroughly recommended.”
Peter Smith, former Managing Editor, Spend Matters Europe and former CIPS President

“This 4th edition is a significant step forward and O’Brien’s widely acclaimed and established exposition of category management is further complemented by rich new insight from leading practitioners into how organisations can realise a quality and effective implementation of this approach. Another essential tool for the modern strategic procurement leader or practitioner from one of the leading authors in our community.”
Philip Ideson, Managing Director – Art of Procurement

“O’Brien’s ability to objectively re-evaluate his own authoritative perspective on category management given the significant changes in procurement priorities and the widespread impact of digital technology is impressive, and allows the reader to chart their own future path from a more strategic position.”
Kelly Barner, Owner, Buyers Meeting Point, LLC

– Ends –

About Positive Purchasing Ltd.

Founded in 2003, Positive Purchasing are industry leaders in driving procurement transformation across the globe. Combining expert training and tools with effective programs and methods, we help organizations deliver a dramatic improvement in their strategic procurement and negotiation outcomes. The result is lower costs, reduced risk, and ultimately, a performance boost and increased business profitability. Each of our Category Management, Supplier Relationship Management or Buyer’s Toolkit – and specialist Negotiation – programs is built on a unique best practice methodology supported by high-impact learning and development. Available individually or as part of a complete Procurement Transformation, our programs have been implemented successfully in FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies spanning multiple industry sectors worldwide.

CEO Jonathan O’Brien is a specialist management consultant with over 27 years’ experience in purchasing. He has worked all over the world helping global blue-chip organizations transform their procurement capability. Jonathan is also author of a trilogy regarded by many as instrumental in defining best practice strategic procurement comprising Category Management in Purchasing, Supplier Relationship Management and the award-winning Negotiation for Procurement Professionals – plus The Buyer’s Toolkit – all published by Kogan Page.

Website: positivepurchasing.com / redsheetnegotiation.com
Twitter: @Pos_Purchasing / @Red_Sheet
Facebook: /PositivePurchasing / redsheetnegotiation
LinkedIn: positive-purchasing / redsheetnegotiation

For further information, images or interviews with Jonathan O’Brien, please contact Ann Bryant on +44 (0) 7801 422159 or ann.bryant@garlandpr.co.uk.