Effectiveness of purchasing and materials management in small businesses in the Vaal Triangle

Abstract

Many changes are affecting today's business environment. They are so many that it sometimes is difficult to keep up with them in an appropriate way. This is especially true for those small manufacturing business owner managers who work in purchasing and supply management. New trends that emerge in this field, among them greater emphasis on quality and value package, reduction on the number of suppliers but long - term relations with preffered suppliers, better service and the use of technologically advanced information systems, criticality of products/ marketing timing, environmental objectives, price based costing and escalating customer demands have influenced the task, knowledge, skills, personal characteristics and development of the purchasing managers. These changes will have a major impact on the work and duties of purchasing and materials manager. The developments in purchasing and supply management should, of course, keep pace with the changing business environment. Purchasers increasingly need to demonstrate their added value to the firms they work for and prove their abilities to cope with the challenges they are confronted with. The purpose of this study is to look into how purchasing and materials management can help manufacturing firms in the Vaal Triangle to cope with these changes and keep abreast with these trends.