Chapter 27: Thinking Outside the "Box": Conducting Supply Chain Procurement Research

Abstract

Students studying supply chain management and procurement need to understand how to research beyond finding the price of the product offered by suppliers on a websites like Alibaba (https://www.alibaba.com) and McRae’s Bluebook (https://www.macraesbluebook.com) so that they can negotiate the best value, determine quality product, and identify issues in supplier industries that may affect their future employer’s ability to distribute products. This research includes understanding product design, characteristics, and specifications including materials, commodity research on key materials used in manufacturing including historical pricing and demand, and market research and news about individual suppliers and the suppliers’ industry. Sources these students need to learn to use include trade associations, trade journals, market research, commodity exchanges, and government economic data. This business information literacy session is designed to make teaching supply chain research approachable both for librarians new to teaching this aspect of business information literacy, as well as students as they learn to apply their business research skills to a scenario they really could face upon graduation.