Price is king.
However, street-fight price negotiations only go so far and that isn't enough anymore for most competitive organizations today that need to continuously take out price, drive down costs, smooth processes, and tap innovation wherever it exists within the supply market. It's something most business professionals can relate to. I'm so busy putting out the fires, I don't have time to go look for the kid with the matches. When a purchasing and supply management department is bogged down with transactional activities, it cannot focus on making strides within the larger context of relationships, which is where deeper and more sustainable value is added. In order for organizations to maintain a competitive advantage, more focus will be placed on trust building, communication, and joint planning and developments.