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Portsmouth City Council has signed up with the Central Buying Consortium (CBC) for local authorities. The CBC allows 17 local authorities to combine their purchasing power to get the best deals for goods such as gas, electricity and IT. The councils control a turnover of £750 million.

Supplier base faces cuts_3

Buyers of printed circuit boards (PCBs) are continuing to cut their supplier bases, according to a new report. But they are avoiding formal partnerships, writes Elizabeth Bellamy.

Net not seen as critical_3

Although 88 per cent of businesses have an Internet presence, only 16 per cent believe e-commerce would play a critical role in their survival, according to a recent survey.

Bill makes UK e-friendly_3

The long-awaited e-commerce bill, which applies a light regulatory touch to the fledgling sector, is set to make the UK one of Europe’s most e-friendly countries early in the next century.

Changes made to RIP bill_3

New safeguards have been incorporated into the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill. Companies will now have the right to sue law-enforcement agencies if confidential material is leaked because of their negligence. This gives firms that are asked to hand over encryption keys for reading electronic documents a right of redress.

Jobs market stands still_3

Purchasing, logistics and distribution recruitment will remain minimal over the next six months, according to Cranfield School of Management, writes Cathy Hayward.

Gas price hike explained_3

Cold weather and growing gas exports caused the recent sharp rise in gas prices, according to Callum McCarthy, director-general of energy-market regulator Ofgem.

Buying Agency’s CD first_3

The first edition of a CD-Rom portfolio, containing details on more than 50,000 products and services, is now available from the government’s public procurement body, The Buying Agency.

Customer investment pays_3

‘Customer-centric’ companies are 60 per cent more profitable than companies that do not track customer loyalty, according to a new report. Making Customer Loyalty Real, by Deloitte Consulting, has found that to retain customers companies must invest in technology for both internal and external communication, have superior market research capabilities and have a strong brand image.

Energise Your Enterprise_3

Having followed the latest management fads and advice, senior executives and managers are facing burn-out. Many companies are seeing their strategies come to an apparent dead-end or, at least, they are in a state of lethargy.