Meaningful involvement in the management and operation of any organization has been purchasing's quest since its functional specification began. Terms like strategic acquisition or supply management, integrated procurement and a variety of others have attempted to convey the aspirations of supply practitioners and academics. The relatively recent emergence of outsourcing has created a paradox. Theoretically, as a larger percentage of an organization's revenue stream is diverted to suppliers, the status, relevance and importance of the supply management organization should increase. In reality, several current research projects and a number of others suggest that in many outsourcing initiatives purchasing played an insignificant role.

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