Relatively speaking, there isn’t much yet to train us on the kinds of activities entailed in outsourcing.
One day, however, that will change. Universities will universally offer "How To Do Global Business" courses in their MBA tracks, colleges will feature "Contract Management" and "Cross-team Communication" as part of their IT curriculum, and certification programs will crop up to make you a "sourcing professional in 9 months or your money back."
Until then, we report on the courses that sound relevant through the Sourcingmag.com events link (http://www.sourcingmag.com/events/) and blog about conferences we attend that have merit.
But now there are a couple of online courses you can take for free (at least they were at the time of this writing).
Developed by Censeo Consulting Group for the Department of Defense’s Defense Acquisition University, the two online self-study classes focus on "strategic sourcing."
According to a press release, "The two new courses are designed to introduce acquisition workers at all levels to basic strategic sourcing concepts and provide a solid foundation for additional training and skill building. Both courses include real-world case examples, adapted from Censeo’s experience implementing strategic sourcing initiatives for the U.S. Department of Defense."
Here are the summaries:
Strategic Sourcing Overview
The U.S. Department of Defense, like the rest of the Federal Government, is discovering how Strategic Sourcing can be a key enabler for achieving improved quality and cost related to the purchase of goods and services. This course provides an overview of Strategic Sourcing concepts and techniques for helping organizations make the shift from tactical to strategic purchasing.
In this course, you will learn:
- The definition, value and benefits of Strategic Sourcing
- The Strategic Sourcing process and its applications
- Key considerations for building a successful Strategic Sourcing program
Spend Analysis Strategies
Spend Analysis is one of several tools the U.S. Department of Defense and other Federal agencies are using to gain critical insights into the procurement history and spend patterns for purchased goods and services. Ultimately, a Spend Analysis contributes to the “commodity fact base” that forms the foundation for identifying valuable strategic sourcing improvement opportunities.
In this course, you will learn:
- The key objectives and benefits of doing a Spend Analysis
- Key steps and strategies involved with gathering and preparing data for a Spend Analysis
- Useful approaches for analyzing spend data and interpreting the implications for strategic sourcing
Want to tune in? Go here:
