1.  Strategic Learning Systems for World-class Sourcing Organizations

Procurement organizations and the purchasing and supply professionals that staff them are in the midst of immense changes. As the field and function evolve from a tactical, transactional focus to a strategic perspective, world-class sourcing professionals require new skill sets and increasingly higher levels of competency. In the words of Jeff Wincel, vice president of corporate procurement at Donnelly Corporation, the skills for the 21^st century are those that extend beyond purchasing to full value chain management.

The focus of this series is on how sourcing organizations and individuals can develop practical, yet innovative learning strategies and systems. The approach described and illustrated in this presentation will produce training systems to support the ever-changing learning needs of a range of sourcing professionals, including new recruits as well as seasoned veterans committed to continuous learning. The series addresses the following topics:

• Linking learning strategy to the procurement organization's overall strategy

• Drawing on internal expertise through structured mentoring, cross-training, knowledge sharing, and expert driven instructional design

• Shortening the learning curve through hands-on, interactive learning that translates knowledge and skill sets into purchasing and supply managers' specific tasks and activities

• Blending in-house training, outsourced training, formal and informal methods in your learning system to maximize its effectiveness

• Measuring the learning system's ROI

2. Team Skills for the Cross-functional Sourcing Project Teams