An in-depth, eye-opening look at Purchasing in the 21st Century. This invaluable resource demonstrates how to improve purchasing operations through supplier scheduling and the integration of purchasing with other initiatives such as Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II), Just-in-Time (JIT), and Total Quality Management (TQM). Along with new material on emerging technologies, vendor managed inventory, and supply chain management, seasoned consultant John E. Schorr offers a solid framework for bettering purchasing systems through a rigorous evaluation of current business structures. Comprehensive and completely up-to-date, Purchasing in the 21st Century, Second Edition provides invaluable insight and advice on: Implementing accurate supplier scheduling Using MRP II/JIT/TQM to dramatically increase performance of on-time deliveries, to decrease lead times, reduce lot sizes, and achieve an overall cost reduction of purchased materials Employing synchronized deliveries in conjunction with a Kanban system Selecting the best performance measurements for suppliers. Filled with helpful examples and case studies of such leading companies as Steelcase and Corning Glass, this is must reading for anyone involved in creating, implementing, and improving purchasing operations. In order to outperform the competition today, companies must be like finely tuned machines, composed of quality parts that work together both seamlessly and in unison. Until recently, and for most organizations, this wasn't the case when it came to two crucial components: buyers and suppliers. However, with growing attempts to improve operations across the board, this once adversarial relationship is evolving into a more cohesive partnership. In this comprehensive resource, now revised and expanded, author John E. Schorr takes an in-depth look at this important change in perspective, explores techniques currently being implemented to improve performance, and focuses on what's around the corner for Purchasing in the 21st Century. In the past, buyers and suppliers operated with different sets of numbers, different priorities, and different agendas, resulting in ongoing conflicts, poor service levels, and, perhaps, most obviously, a concerted disadvantage in the marketplace. Realizing that purchasing can be key to seeing significant improvements in operations and competitive capabilities, companies have begun to leverage the role of purchasing to achieve improvements in supplier quality, product delivery, and new product development. Purchasing in the 21st Century, Second Edition offers practical information on improving purchasing operations. With complete coverage of the tools and techniques needed, the book illustrates how to implement supplier scheduling, as well as carry out purchasing in Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II), Just-in-Time (JIT), and Total Quality Management (TQM) environments. It also provides essential details on supply chain management and vendor managed inventory, two new concepts being used in purchasing departments around the country. Perhaps, most significantly, Purchasing in the 21st Century, Second Edition helps you create a sound purchasing operation with a solid framework that includes a rigorous evaluation of current systems. You'll learn to coordinate with your suppliers' production schedules, ensure supplier quality assurance, reduce freight costs, and effectively use electronic data interchange and the Internet. To illustrate how others have altered and refined their purchasing approach, you'll find detailed case studies of such prominent companies as Steelcase and Corning Glass. Purchasing in the 21st Century, Second Edition gives purchasing executives and their counterparts across the company state-of-the-art guidelines for creating and effectively managing their purchasing operation. A timely examination, this is essential reading for anyone involved in the purchasing process.