Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Purchasing and supply management (PSM) competencies: Current and future requirements

Bals, Lydia; Schulze, Heike; Kelly, SJH; Stek, Klaas

Authors

Lydia Bals

Heike Schulze

Klaas Stek



Abstract

Purchasing & Supply Management (PSM) competencies are the individual-level foundations of organisational PSM performance. In light of recent developments in the workplace and the external environment, the question of what PSM competencies are needed now, as well as in the future, becomes one of increasing importance. Analysing qualitative data from 46 interviews from 16 companies, this paper identifies what current and future competencies are required by PSM professionals, categorizes PSM competencies according to the framework established by Tassabehji and Moorhouse (2008) and establishes how these competency requirements have changed over the last ten years. The most important current competencies required by PSM professionals are negotiation, communication and relationship management (e.g. ‘Interpersonal communication’), strategy and analytics (e.g. ‘Strategic thinking’), as well as professional knowledge requirements (e.g. ‘Basic knowledge on PSM role & processes’). When looking at future requirements, competencies in the areas of sustainability and digitisation were identified as becoming increasingly important. Overall, 17 competencies in addition to those shown in Tassabehji and Moorhouse (2008) were identified. The most prominent new competency areas are related to digitisation (e.g. ‘eProcurement Technology’, ‘Automation’), innovation (e.g. ‘Innovative sourcing’) and sustainability. The interviewees also identified 11 new competencies within the interpersonal skills cluster, most of them at the intersection between competencies and traits (e.g. ‘Deal with Ambiguity’, ‘Curiosity’, ‘Passion’).

Citation

Bals, L., Schulze, H., Kelly, S., & Stek, K. (2019). Purchasing and supply management (PSM) competencies: Current and future requirements. Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 25(5), 100572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pursup.2019.100572

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Aug 26, 2019
Publication Date 2019-12
Deposit Date Jun 9, 2022
Journal Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management
Print ISSN 1478-4092
Publisher Elsevier
Volume 25
Issue 5
Pages 100572
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pursup.2019.100572
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pursup.2019.100572