The idea of investing one's own organizational time and resources back down the tier 1, 2 or even 3 supplier base to identify and eliminate waste and cost throughout the system seems basic and fundamental, but in many instances, this approach is still not well-received in many firms and industries, says Ronald D. Schnur, vice president of strategic sourcing for Coors Brewing Company.
At Coors, he says, "The team has been working for several years on building a consistent approach to supplier management, with supplier development as a key element of our overall process. We are working with other functional departments and stakeholders to lay out a vision and method that includes strategic sourcing, automated purchasing, supplier communications, supplier scorecarding, supplier development, supplier recognition and early involvement in new product development. Collectively, these processes, tools and tactics are allowing our company to continue improving performance, engagement and value creation within our supplier base."
Source: Inside Supply Management, http://www.ism.ws