How Free (and Perfect) are Your Supply Markets?
There was a cri de coeur from Matthew Parris in today’s Times newspaper (behind the paywall). He was concerned about the British public’s expectations that the government could sort out […]
Entries by Peter Smith
Theranos and FOMO as a Cause of Bad Buying
(Two posts in a row about blood – that’s a bit weird)! Earlier this month, Elizabeth Holmes went on trial in San Jose, California, accused of six counts of fraud. […]
Blood Tubes – Is This the Latest NHS Bad Buying Case Study?
Last year, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) hit the headlines when shortages threatened the lives of health workers and patients in the early months of the pandemic. That demonstrated how a […]
Marble Arch Mound – Monstrous Mountain Misuses Money
I still don’t know if there will be a “Bad Buying Returns” book or perhaps an updated edition of the first volume, but the stories keep on coming in terms […]
BBC Panorama Looks Into the Greensill Affair
Returning to the Greensill supply chain finance (SCF) scandal, the excellent BBC Panorama programme earlier this month dug further into the affair, including the role of ex-Prime Minster David Cameron. […]
Forecasting Prices Isn’t Easy – Who Predicted the UK Property Boom? (Not Me …)
Sadly, my mother passed away last month, aged 93. A broken hip, covid and pneumonia all hastened the end, but “frailty due to old age” was probably a fair enough […]
Don’t Assume You Can Always Find a Good Supplier Out There!
I met an old friend – and consummate procurement professional – this week for the first time in several years. He is working in a very important and sensitive area […]
Procurement Fraud in the NHS – Could It Happen In Your Organisation?
One of the most annoying aspects of writing Bad Buying was reading dozens of fraud and corruption cases that came to court. Whilst the cases were often fascinating, the comments […]
The Worst Tank in the World?
The Army’s “Ajax” armoured vehicles programme is descending into a very expensive farce.
Procurement Ethics – Dealing with Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest as a ethical topic has always been relevant in procurement, both public and private sector. Here is a quick quote from my book, Bad Buying. “At a […]