“Supplier Relationship Management” (SRM), the second edition of Jonathan O’Brien’s book, enables organizations to secure maximum value from their supply base. This is achieved by determining the suppliers who are important or hold potential and, based upon what makes them important or even strategic, putting in place interventions unique to each supplier to unlock real tangible benefits.

The latest edition of the book features a raft of new content including the “7 facets of SRM” – the interrelated strategic components that enable, inform, direct and support each other and that surround, shape and determine the central facet which is the specific interventions and what exactly needs to be done with chosen suppliers or supply chains to unlock value.

It also delivers a framework of resources for anyone who manages or interfaces with important suppliers, for contract management, establishing joint, collaborative relationships with the critical few suppliers who can help bring new competitive advantage.

Jonathan O’Brien, CEO of Positive Purchasing said:

“Since the first edition of my book was published back in 2014, there have been many developments in the field of supplier relationship management.

“This latest edition seeks to capture all the latest thinking and insights and distills it into a framework which anyone who works with suppliers can follow. At the heart of the book is collaboration – how businesses can work better together with key, strategic suppliers to enable them to unlock hidden potential for mutual gain.”

What The Experts Say:

“Suppliers play a vital role in the success of almost every organisation – not every executive realises this, but it is indisputably true. O’Brien’s excellent book, full of useful ideas and clear thinking about SRM, will help any reader and their organisation to manage those suppliers better in order to deliver more value and performance. This second edition adds more insight (such as the “7 facets of SRM”) to what was already extensive, well-structured and intelligent coverage of the topic.”

Peter Smith, Managing Editor, Spend Matters Europe

“A refreshing new perspective on this important topic that clearly sets out all the components of SRM together with a rich toolkit and practical steps to make it happen. Crucially, this book places collaboration and working together at its core. It recognises the fact that successful SRM is an ‘organisation-wide’ concern and provides a range of approaches to make this a reality. This book makes sense of supplier segmentation and how to use a variety of supplier management approaches including how to collaborate and work together with strategic suppliers to create new shared benefit. A definitive guide to SRM and how to really make it happen.”

Mark Perera, CEO & Founder Vizibl & Founder Procurement Leaders

“A truly definitive guide to SRM and a practical handbook for those doing it! This book demonstrates the value of working with key suppliers and why there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach. The analogy of SRM as an orchestra with many sections runs through the entire book and helps make sense of a complex and often misunderstood topic and provides a framework for organisations to implement it. This book provides a comprehensive exposition of each aspect of SRM (or orchestra section), including enabling supplier driven innovation at scale – the next frontier for the progressive procurement organization. Everything you need to know about SRM in one book.”

Philip Ideson, Managing Director, Palambridge

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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 / www.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.