IIMM to offer programme on international purchasing

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JULY 12. The Indian Institute of Materials Management (IIMM) will offer a programme on international purchasing and materials management, developed by the U.N.'s International Trade Centre in Geneva. This was announced at the inaugural session of Scale 2001, the annual supply chain and logistics exposition organised by IIMM, here on Thursday.

The programme was part of a project to impart formal education comprising the latest trends in materials management, to business executives, Mr. S.B. Lovekar, convener of Scale 2001 said. The IIMM had signed an MoU with ITC under which it would access the course material, training tools, and other components to be used exclusively in India, according to Ms. Margareta Funder, project manager, ITC.

The project focussed on SMEs (small and medium enterprises) in Asian countries, and was funded entirely by the Swiss Government to the tune of $ 1.2 million, Ms. Funder, said. In addition to India, it was being offered in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The programme was formally launched by Mr. Massimo Baggi, acting Ambassador of Switzerland to India.

This year's Scale 2001 expo comprises an industrial exhibition with the theme "Marketplace -- logistics, outsourcing and IT solutions", a technical conference with the theme "E-business, leveraging for excellence" and a technology meet that will feature demonstrations of e-auctions, e-procurement tools and solutions and other Internet-based B2B activities, according to an IIMM release.

Earlier, delivering the keynote address at the inauguration, Mr. Azim Premji, Chairman, Wipro Ltd., made a strong pitch for reverse auctioning, which according to him represented a cost- effective means of procurement. He offered what he called two case studies -- for modular furniture and electrical panels -- where reverse auctions had brought down the procurement prices below the reserve prices.

That 01markets, Wipro's foray into e-procurement, has "determinedly moved into reverse auctions" would perhaps put Mr. Premji's sales pitch in perspective.

He said it was "delightful" that senior management from corporate business would be exposed to the impact of e-business on various aspects of supply chain management, during the three-day expo.

Others present at the inauguration included Dr. Ram Mohan Rao, Director, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, Mr. V.K. Jain, national president, IIMM, and Mr. K.C. Harsha, Chairman, Bangalore Branch, IIMM.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : KFPA drive against 'obscene' films
Next     : Govt. may opt for soft options