Dortmund, October 2018. Due to its role as an interface, corporate procurement is playing an increasingly important strategic role. Procurement volumes are rising sharply, and the procurement function acts as a networker in the international business environment. Purchasing is also heavily impacted by digitalization and must provide data analysts, innovation scouts, and both horizontal and vertical networkers. However, these requirements have not yet been adequately addressed in existing university curricula and continuing education programs. There is a lack of adequate academic programs that effectively prepare students for the future work environment and evolving roles in purchasing. The “Purchasing Education and Research for European Competence Transfer” (PERFECT) project made a significant contribution toward closing this gap.
Current and future competency requirements were identified through 46 expert interviews with practitioners. Interpersonal skills are of great importance; furthermore, knowledge and skills related to sustainability and technologies, as well as strategic and holistic thinking, will continue to gain significance. A broad-based survey of practitioners, with over 500 responses, was used to validate the qualitative results and weight competencies according to their relevance to success. The results of this unique scientific analysis have been incorporated into the project’s central outcome—the innovative bachelor’s and master’s curriculum. In addition to a detailed description of the individual modules in the curriculum, a guide was developed to support implementation for all interested institutions.
Beyond the curriculum, a Purchasing Competence Assessment Tool—which allows users to evaluate their own competencies and provides feedback—and the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) “Purchasing & Supply Management Fundamentals” were developed and made available as free online resources. While the MOOC addresses the fundamentals of corporate purchasing, the Assessment Tool can be used to analyze basic competencies as part of a self-assessment.
The project results are being incorporated into the project partners’ ongoing courses and are shaping the development of entirely new degree programs at other interested universities and continuing education institutions. In addition to academic education, the PERFECT Curriculum can be used to review or further develop vocational training and continuing education programs in purchasing. The project offers a highly adaptable reference approach for developing empirically validated curricula that focus on practice-driven requirements. The methodological approach can be applied as a general guide to similar challenges and to other degree programs and continuing education courses.
By integrating research, teaching, and business practice into the curriculum, a large number of students are prepared to meet the current professional demands of procurement in companies of various sizes and across different industries. The harmonization of course content and teaching methods—and the resulting enhanced mobility in the context of international student exchanges—addresses the needs of corporate procurement as a strategic international interface function.
The PERFECT project was funded by the Erasmus+ “Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education” program under project number 2015-1-DE01-KA203-002174 for the period September 1, 2015, to August 31,August 2018 and consisted of an international consortium led by Univ.-Prof. Dr. habil. Michael Henke (TU Dortmund) with the participation of Prof. Dr. Lydia Bals (Mainz University of Applied Sciences), Prof. Dr. Holger Schiele (University of Twente, Netherlands), Dr. Stephen Kelly (Staffordshire University, UK), and Prof. Dr. Jukka Hallikas (Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland). Further project information and all results are freely available to the public in detail on the project website www.project-perfect.eu.
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Dortmund, October 2018. Procurement plays an increasingly strategic role in industry due to its interface function. Purchasing volumes are rising significantly, and purchasing and supply management (PSM) connects global business environments. In addition, PSM is strongly influenced by digitalization and involves data analysts, innovation scouts, and both horizontal and vertical networkers. However, current requirements are hardly addressed in existing higher education curricula and vocational training programs. Consequently, there is a lack of adequate academic programs that efficiently prepare students for changing roles and expectations. A key contribution toward closing this gap was made within the framework of the project “Purchasing Education and Research for European Competence Transfer” (PERFECT).
In 46 expert interviews with practitioners, current and future competency requirements were identified. Interpersonal competencies were highlighted as being of great importance. Furthermore, knowledge and competencies in the fields of sustainability and technology, as well as strategic and holistic thinking, are growing in importance. These qualitative results were empirically validated through a broad survey of more than 500 respondents and weighted according to their relevance to success. The results of this unique scientific approach are incorporated into the project’s central outcome: the innovative Bachelor’s and Master’s degree curricula. In addition to a description of the content of the individual curriculum modules, a guidance document was developed to support implementation at interested institutions.
In addition to the curriculum, a Purchasing Competence Assessment Tool—which allows users to evaluate their own skills and provides feedback—as well as the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) “Purchasing & Supply Management Fundamentals” were developed. These tools are freely available as online resources. While the MOOC covers the fundamentals of procurement, basic competencies can be assessed using the assessment tool.
The project results have been integrated into the current courses offered by the project partners. Furthermore, they are shaping new developments in study programs at other interested institutions of higher education and in vocational training programs. In addition to academic education, the PERFECT curriculum can be applied to review and enhance vocational training in purchasing. The project offers a flexible and versatile reference framework for the development of empirically validated curricula that focus on practice-driven requirements. The methodological approach serves as a general framework and can be applied to similar problems and other courses or training programs.
By combining research, teaching, and corporate practice, a large number of students are prepared to meet the current requirements of PSM-related jobs in companies of various sizes and across various industries. Harmonized teaching content and methods, along with enhanced international mobility through student exchange programs, address the needs of PSM as a strategic international interface.
The PERFECT project was funded by the European Union’s ERASMUS+ “Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education” grant program under grant no. 2015-1-DE01-KA203-002174 for a project period from September 1, 2015, to August 31, 2018, and consisted of an international consortium led by Univ.-Prof. Dr. habil. Michael Henke (TU Dortmund, Germany) and included Prof. Dr. Lydia Bals (Mainz University of Applied Sciences, Germany), Prof. Dr. Holger Schiele (University of Twente, Netherlands), Dr. Stephen Kelly (Staffordshire University, UK), and Prof. Dr. Jukka Hallikas (Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland). Further project information and all detailed results are publicly available via the project website www.project-perfect.eu.
