In the world of purchasing and procurement, change happens quickly, so keep up to speed with information from publications on procurement and purchasing. Building your procurement knowledge base will give you a definite advantage over your competition. Even if you don't always have the answers to procurement-related questions, you'll know where you can find them when you become more familiar with the many publications on purchasing and procurement available.

You'll find procurement and purchasing publications that cover general policies and procedures, as well as purchasing and procurement reference material that deals with specific industries. As you search for purchasing and procurement publications that deliver industry news and information you need, consider the following sources:

1. Subscribe to online or print procurement magazines.

2. Download or order journals on purchasing and procurement.

3. Use other purchasing and procurement publications to find specific information.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Subscribe to purchasing and procurement magazines for current information and trends

Only a click away, online magazines provide a great resource tool for continued professional education as well as quick references when you build presentations for new suppliers and clients. Keep print magazines on a side table in your office for guests and for yourself when you just want to do a little extra reading.

I recommend: Sign up for a free subscription to Purchasing magazine or click the link to the Purchasing Home Page to bookmark the online version with your other favorites. In 12 print issues a year, the magazine provides new market forecasts, supply chain tactics, technologies and detailed purchasing articles. Go to TradePub.com to find the free purchasing and procurement magazines that focus on your industry. TradePub.com originated in 1994 as the first online subscription services provider for B2B magazine publishers. If your interest lies in the defense industry, check out the Defense Industry Daily, an online magazine geared toward defense procurement managers and contractors.

Use journals on procurement to study issues in greater depth

Procurement journals will prove useful to you when you want to dig deeper into a particular aspect of the industry.

I recommend: You can purchase either the printed or electronic version of the Journal of Public Procurement, published four times a year. The peer-reviewed JoPP publishes manuscripts covering all areas of government procurement, and if it interests you, they welcome unsolicited manuscripts from any source. Subscribe to the online Educational Procurement Journal put out by the National Association of Educational Procurement. Founded in the 1920s, the nonprofit NAEP dedicates itself to purchasing officers in the higher education industry. If you want to keep up with procurement issues on a global scale, check out the International Journal of Procurement Management, which you can order in print or online format. Published quarterly, the IJPM focuses on procurement resources and the implications of purchasing and supply management functions on productivity and competitiveness in the global arena.

Explore other purchasing and procurement publications for quick answers

Whether you just want to read white papers or specific articles on procurement or purchasing, you'll find plenty of publications to keep you busy.

I recommend: Download one or more of the purchasing white papers found at The Perl Journal website. Read online articles on purchasing like Business & Purchasing: Buy Smart and Avoid Excess Inventory in Your Warehouse, by Dan Kaplan. The article resides at Themanager.org, an Internet portal that focuses on management topics. Download procurement articles on KPMG, a company with member firms in more than 140 countries that offers audit, tax and advisory services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Besides researching topics and keeping up with industry news and trends, study purchasing and procurement publications to find new networking opportunities, potential clients and new suppliers.