{"id":65459,"date":"2020-04-02T08:00:33","date_gmt":"2020-04-02T06:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e3mag.com\/?p=65459"},"modified":"2025-07-14T15:53:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T13:53:10","slug":"digital-transformation-in-procurement-has-to-start-at-the-top","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/digital-transformation-in-procurement-has-to-start-at-the-top\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Transformation in Procurement Has to Start at the Top"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Procurement is entering a new era. Time to evaluate how companies\u2019 digital transformation efforts are coming along!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How far have they come in their digitalization initiatives? Have they managed to successfullyorganize data, processes, and interconnection in procurement? We\u2019ve partnered with ESB Business School and the German BME (Bundesverband Materialwirtschaft, Einkauf und Logistik) and asked 272 German companies (many of them SAPcustomers) about their digital transformation.<\/p><div id=\"great-3699354917\" class=\"great-fullsize-content-en\" style=\"margin-bottom: 20px;\"><a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6yfv7eho3Gc\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Fullsize\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150.jpg\" alt=\"Fullsize\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150-400x50.jpg 400w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150-768x96.jpg 768w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150-100x13.jpg 100w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150-480x60.jpg 480w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150-640x80.jpg 640w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150-720x90.jpg 720w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150-960x120.jpg 960w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150-1168x146.jpg 1168w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150-18x2.jpg 18w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26_04_08_1200x150-600x75.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" width=\"1200\" height=\"150\"  style=\" max-width: 100%; height: auto;\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The resultsare not surprising yet still disappointing: digitalization largely hasn\u2019thappened yet. Every third company is operating without a clear procurementstrategy, and half of respondents indicated that the number of digitalprocurement sources was still low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Digital transformationis prerequisite for automation in procurement\u2014and yet, in all areas of procurement, companies are lacking clear strategies concerning digital solutions, and holistic automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Only a fraction of respondents (15 percent) use digital systems for process optimization in procurement. This is surprising since there are various tools and systems available which facilitate digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Delaying digitalization in procurement not the way to go<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Companies often see their current success as an excuse to delay digital transformation\u2014why fix it if it isn't broken? Consequently, they invest too little in sustainable, efficient digital solutions\u2014a decision which will almost certainly come back to bite them later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the past, procurement companies often were the source for innovation, diversification and growth, acting as accelerator for digital transformation and automation. This is crucial as procurement is facing and will continue to face many obstacles\u2014fast-changing markets, growing supply chain risks and an ever-evolving workforce, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I thinkthat if companies finally realize the important role that procurement plays,they are making sure they benefit and profit from digital transformation. Furthermore, top management will have to start actively championing fordigitalization to happen. Digital transformation in procurement has to start atthe top to change hearts and minds on the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Only by establishing a digital mindset in top management can companies sustainably transform procurement.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Up-to-date data, fully automated processes, seamlessly connected customer\/supplier pipelines\u2014for many companies, digital transformation still seems like a faraway future. Digitalization in procurement has to start at the top.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1577,"featured_media":2445,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19,7,37393],"tags":[172,601],"coauthors":[24946],"class_list":["post-65459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-b2b2c-kolumne","category-meinung","category-mag-2003","tag-datenqualitaet","tag-digitalisierung","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",1000,432,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",400,173,false],"medium_large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-768x332.jpg",768,332,true],"large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",1000,432,false],"image-100":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-100x43.jpg",100,43,true],"image-480":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-480x207.jpg",480,207,true],"image-640":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-640x276.jpg",640,276,true],"image-720":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-720x311.jpg",720,311,true],"image-960":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-960x415.jpg",960,415,true],"image-1168":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",1000,432,false],"image-1440":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",1000,432,false],"image-1920":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",1000,432,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",1000,432,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",1000,432,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",18,8,false],"bricks_large_16x9":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",1000,432,false],"bricks_large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",1000,432,false],"bricks_large_square":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",1000,432,false],"bricks_medium":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",600,259,false],"bricks_medium_square":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C.jpg",600,259,false],"profile_24":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-24x24.jpg",24,24,true],"profile_48":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-48x48.jpg",48,48,true],"profile_96":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-96x96.jpg",96,96,true],"profile_150":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"profile_300":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/B2B2C-300x300.jpg",300,300,true]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"<p>Topaktuelle Daten, vollautomatisierte Prozesse, gut vernetzte Kunden-Lieferanten-Beziehungen \u2013 f\u00fcr viele Eink\u00e4ufer im Mittelstand ist das kein Alltag. Digitalisierung im Einkauf braucht aber vor allem eines: Entscheider.<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"<a href=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/category\/opinion\/b2b2c-column\/\" rel=\"category tag\">B2B2C-Kolumne<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/category\/opinion\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Die Meinung der SAP-Community<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/category\/mag-2003\/\" rel=\"category tag\">MAG 20-03<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"Frank Schmidt, Onventis","url":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/author\/frank-schmidt\/"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1577"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65459"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65459\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":152479,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65459\/revisions\/152479"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65459"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=65459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}