Category Management in Purchasing: A Strategic Approach to Maximize Business Profitability

Category Management is a technique used to understand markets, analyze spending, and make purchasing decisions that save money. It can mean the difference between accepting mediocre goods and services at high cost and effective supply management that delivers real value. By altering how goods are categorized and supplied, this management tactic helps shift purchasing from being an error-prone transaction to lowering costs for the business.

Using case studies and practical examples, Jonathan O'Brien provides a step-by-step guide to category management implementation and use that companies can readily apply to their overall business strategy. The third edition is updated with pragmatic advice for smaller businesses, details on how category management can work together with other approaches (such as Supplier Relationship Management), revised sections on supplier management, and new information on governance, supplier and supply chain tools. This practical book allows readers to analyze complex sourcing situations quickly and develop innovative and creative solutions. Category Management in Purchasing is the perfect companion to Jonathan O'Brien's other books, Negotiation for Purchasing Professionals and Supplier Relationship Management, both published by Kogan Page. Used together, they provide a complete and powerful strategic purchasing toolkit.