Global Sourcing - The reorientation in purchasing

Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject Business economics - Supply, Production, Logistics, grade: 1,2 (A+), Heidenheim University of Cooperative Education (Economics and International Trade), course: International Management, language: English, abstract: One of the most important economic prerequisites for operating on the market is the efficient procurement of quality goods and services. International orientation is hereby becoming increasingly influential. Due to globalisation the world is to be seen as one single market. The impact of this perspective does not only refer to global sales but to global procurement as well. In terms of an international perspective the term 'Global Sourcing' has evolved describing the challenging opportunity of supplementing traditional procurement by international complex activities. Worldwide suppliers, worldwide options and the access to global knowledge increase the need for detailed evaluation. Global sourcing hereby aims at ensuring a competitive advantage in terms of procurement politics. Those politics equally contain chances and risks. A variety of suppliers also means a variety of quality standards. International sources require international logistics. Therefore global sourcing is beyond simple international purchasing and rather a general strategic orientation towards international supply markets. Consequently, the focus of this term paper is to determine the strategic orientation of procurement politics towards Global Sourcing on the basis of international supply chain management.