Chapter i the ten basic questions: the directive; the purchasing department's role; the definition of lowest ultimate cost; source selection; the ten basic questions; the answers to the ten basic questions; forging a link with finance and marketing the first seven action plans;. chapter ii men and money: solving the manning equation; list of operations and time required; the working hours available; establishing a workload; assessment of working hours required; choice of structure; proposed establishment of sections; manning; workload allocation within a section; recruiting; the typical buyer profile; the hierarchical structure; detailed job descriptions; chapter iii materials: office layout; location of the purchasing department; departmental image; the first procedure; the buying card; the enquiry; the quotation analysis; the approval process; the order; the buying card again; standard terms and conditions; the war of the acknowledgments; price variation and the purchasing order; amendment; sample; chapter iv financial reporting, the purchasing forecast: and the corporate purchasing plan; standard costing; how finance/accounts prepare standards; purchasing first considerations; supplier history; potential price increases; raw material movements; labour movements; overhead movements; material, labour and overhead; commodity group forecasting of potential price increases; communicating to finance - are you ready?; preparation of the corporate purchasing plan; the savings plan; timing within the purchasing plan; savings forecast; communication of corporate purchasing plan to finance/accounting; the purchasing strategy; the ppv report - how it works; reporting savings and losses against the purchasing plan; chapter v the recruitment process: the first interview; forming an assessment; a test of your own management style; a provisional assessment; the short list interviews; a decision only you can make; use of consultants; final preparations for the new recruits; the internal management meeting; union membership; the professional grades; chapter vi policies, procedures, departmental budgets and timing control: code of ethics; responsibility of purchasing; the purchasing function; relationships with suppliers; purchasing approvals; quotations; selection of sources; pages raising enquiries; purchase orders; right to audit supplier's records; transport terms; administrative responsibilities of purchasing; departmental budgets; timing control; chapter vii inventory and supply protection 113 131 'not too much, not too little - but just right': the capacity questionnaire; analysis of the reply; supply protection at minimum inventory; use of bond stock; use of buffer stock; operating at minimum stock level; the company's situation; the supplier's preferences; low value catalogue/consumable items; inventory control; rationalisation of supply sources;
