Especially in times of an economic boom following a crisis, companies have to deal with the phenomenon of the "working capital trap," which signifies a company's increasing need for financial liquidity in times of hindered access to debt capital, caused by the increasingly restrictive credit approval processes of financial institutions. As a consequence of cost savings, this situation is often reinforced by a low level of inventory.This book takes up the problem and shows ways of e...

Compared to other main groups of procurement, capital equipment features numerous characteristics that significantly impact the purchasing process. The process of purchasing capital equipment therefore requires specific attention and above all a systematic approach. To overcome these challenges, a holistic process model and specific tools and methods for capital equipment purchasing are presented.The following topics regarding capital equipment purchasing are presented:• Co...

In recent years, purchasing performance measurement have steadily gained in importance in theory and practice. Yet, in many cases, the focus still remains on cost items, especially savings. Moreover, reported performance ratios in purchasing are frequently called into question in terms of their amount and efficacy. Most of the time, there is no tie-in at all with staff compensations. To meet these and other challenges, this book presents a holistic approach for purchasing performance measu...