Eskom Procurement Book 2015

THE PLANNING, ORGANISING, LEADING AND CONTROL OF PROCUREMENT

3.5.1.5 Strategic Business Skills

These skills relate to broader strategic issues and how procurement can have an impact on overall organisational value, such as planning and managing strategic partnerships and alliances, managing risk and adding value to the organisation.

3.5.2 LEADERSHIP VIRTUES

Virtues to be developed by procurement leaders include ethics, trust and respect for others, honesty and using power responsibly [15]. Authenticity in leadership is described as being true to yourself or being the person that you are rather than projecting an image or persona [16]. Authentic leadership incorporates transformational leadership and ethical leadership or could be seen to add ethical leadership qualities to the established transformational leadership style [17]. An authentic leader is self-aware and guided by a set of values, or high moral standards. He or she is viewed as honest and as possessing integrity, which is demonstrated through transparency. It results in fair and balanced decisions. An authentic leader is seen to be doing what is right and fair for the leader and his or her followers [17]. The distinguishing features of authentic leadership, as opposed to transformational and other leadership styles, are leader self-awareness and self-regulation, emotional containment, and a commitment to enabling follower success through supporting their development. Such leaders address the need for authentic leaders who can successfully operate in an increasingly complex working environment [18, 19]. Leading a procurement department involves communication, motivation, conflict management and negotiation. In order to perform these roles, procurement leaders need to help define the purpose of the organisation and the improvement of principles and values. They must ensure that there is a continuous programme of education and self-improvement for everyone in the organisation while removing barriers that prevent improvement and open communication. Their actions must demonstrate the integrity of their principles and values. 3.6 CONTROLLING The purpose of control is to give the procurement manager information about why a certain objective, performance standard or any other indicator has not been met. Five major tasks underlie the procurement manager’s control responsibilities. These include revising and updating plans as new and better information becomes available; standardising control processes and procedures across the procurement organisation; evaluating procurement officers’ performance; preventing problems and complaints; and protecting the organisation’s reputation and viability.

3.5.3 LEADERSHIP TASKS

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