Development of a Purchasing and Supply Management Maturity Framework

The goal of this contribution is to present a Purchasing and Supply Management Maturity Framework based on the findings of a comprehensive literature and empirical research and a comparative analysis of maturity models published between 1983 and 2014 as well as (management) frameworks published between 1998 and 2014 in Purchasing and Supply Management (PSM). In total 20 maturity models published from authors with an academic or scientific background, 18 maturity models offered from consulting firms and 19 management frameworks of purchasing management were examined. In this research the following eight modules that contribute to a mature and professional PSM were detected: (1) strategy & plans, (2) controlling & performance management, (3) organization & internal interfaces, (4) supplier management & external interfaces, (5) process excellence & information and communication technology (ICT), (6) talents & skills, (7) innovation & methods and (8) sustainability & ethics. Based on these findings, the concept of an original Purchasing Maturity Framework will be presented. Contrary to the large part of the published maturity models in PSM, this model is rather designed as a management model for (I) the assessment of the PSM maturity in a company and (II) the display of standard improvement paths that should lead to higher maturity than an assessment tool for evaluating the maturity at a certain point in time. Moreover, aspects of professional project and change management will be addressed that are necessary for an effective and efficient advancement of the PSM function in a company.