‘Shed off the 10% image’

Procurement officials should shed off the ‘Mr. 10 percent’ image associated with the profession and instead explore means and ways to boost their company’s bottom-line, Toyota Malawi managing director Rosemary Mkandawire cautioned on Friday.

“It is time to shed the image that these professionals are pure cost centres with no visible value to add to the organisation. The profession must not only address issues, but must be seen to be addressing issues that would affect the profession in its quest to add value to the business world,” she advised.

Procurement officials in some companies and organisations have been accused of inflating prices by conniving with suppliers of goods and services and in extreme cases, they demand the suppliers offer them 10 percent of the tender price as a reward for the contract.

Speaking at the recent second annual procurement and supply chain management conference in Mangochi themed ‘Boosting the business bottom-line through procurement and supply chain management’, Mkandawire noted that the business sector has high expectation from the profession.