Why Is Nobody Talking About China’s New Supply Chain Regulations?
China’s Decree 834 and 835, collectively called the Regulations on Industrial and Supply Chain Security, took effect in April 2026 with immediate force and no transition period. The rules penalize any foreign activity deemed a threat to Chinese supply‑chain stability, including reshoring, compliance with UFLPA or EU forced‑labor laws, and extensive supplier due‑diligence reporting. They also apply to China‑owned firms operating abroad, using vague language that grants regulators broad discretion. Non‑compliance can trigger loss of market access, civil litigation, or even exit bans for personnel in China.
Confidence, Cost, and Compliance: Insights From the Economist Impact Report
The latest Economist Impact report reveals a global slide in procurement confidence, down 15‑18% across regions, industries and roles. Cost has surged back to prominence, now the second short‑term priority and accounting for 54% of the value proposition. AI has...
Social Value as Strategy in Public Sector Procurement
The UK’s Social Value Act, now a core element of public‑sector procurement, requires buyers to assess how suppliers will benefit local communities, with a minimum 10% weighting that many councils have raised to 20‑30%. Guy Battle of the Social Value...
Benchmarking Procurement: Lessons From $1.4 Trillion in Spend
Sievo’s 2025 State of Spend report draws on $1.4 trillion of procurement data to give CPOs a rare external benchmark. The analysis shows that even mature organizations leave 20‑30% of spend unoptimized, with simple levers like payment terms and PO policies...
The Agentic Shift in Procurement: The Rise of Autonomous Processes
Procurement is moving from manual, digitized processes to agentic AI that can autonomously execute tasks. Coupa’s VP Viji Doraiswamy explains that orchestration engines now drive requests beyond intake, coordinating policies and approvals without human bottlenecks. The shift forces leaders to...
UPS Picks Profitability Over Volume, and The Teamsters Push Back
UPS is slashing its Amazon parcel volume by roughly two million packages per day, a move aimed at shifting the carrier’s focus from sheer volume to higher margins. The strategy is expected to generate $3 billion in cost savings from the...
Provider of the Week: Prewave
Prewave provides an AI‑enabled platform that gives global brands real‑time visibility into supplier and supply‑chain risks, covering operational disruptions, ESG issues, and compliance. The solution monitors tens of thousands of suppliers for over 250 customers, extending insight beyond tier‑1 to...
AI, Talent, and the New Shape of Procurement in India
India’s procurement function has moved from a transactional back‑office role to a strategic business partner, driven by heightened CEO and CXO interest. While shared‑service models introduced frameworks, the underlying talent was already equipped to handle complex sourcing. Experts stress that...
Everyone Has a Role in Growing the Value Chain
Andrew Quincey argues that value in procurement cannot be reduced to efficiency alone; it requires a balanced equilibrium of effectiveness, efficiency, and economy. In his recent Journal of Public Procurement article, he proposes that organizations shift the “why” to the...
Procurement Under Pressure: Disruption, AI, and the New Operating Model
Procurement leaders are confronting relentless disruption that now includes supply shortages, tariffs, cyber risk and operational failures, while business expectations have expanded beyond cost control to growth and risk mitigation. A recent Art of Procurement podcast, featuring AlixPartners’ Jon Jensen...
From Ports to Geopolitics: Protecting U.S. Cargo Worldwide
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is widening its oversight beyond U.S. shores to safeguard American cargo wherever it travels. Chairman Laura DiBella highlighted the agency’s use of the 1988 Foreign Shipping Practices Act to probe restrictive foreign laws, global chokepoints,...
Procurement's Innovation Sandbox: How Digital Garages Deliver Value
Procurement leaders face a flood of new digital tools and AI capabilities that outpace traditional sourcing cycles. To keep pace, many are adopting "digital garages"—structured sandbox environments where startups and buyers co‑develop solutions. This model balances rapid innovation with risk...
Procurement's Innovation Sandbox: How Digital Garages Deliver Value
Procurement leaders face a flood of new digital tools and AI capabilities, forcing a shift from traditional, linear sourcing to more agile evaluation methods. Integrated procuretech solutions are consolidating stacks, but they also create overlap challenges that require careful analysis....
Inside AOP's Catalyst Event Series: Elevating CPO Collaboration Beyond the Conference Room
Art of Procurement’s Catalyst series reimagines procurement conferences by turning them into interactive working sessions. Limited to 60‑70 senior leaders, the events prioritize peer‑led roundtables and mastermind discussions in distinctive venues like San Francisco’s Commonwealth Club. The format encourages participants...
Building Ethical Leaders in Freight: Inside TIA’s Freight Leadership Lab
The Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) launched the Freight Leadership Lab, a certification program aimed at mid‑level brokerage managers to develop ethical, high‑performing leaders. The curriculum includes six modules covering profit mechanics, communication, problem‑solving, decision‑making, and a dedicated ethics component taught...