Making Commercial Contracts Work

'Aligning the science of sourcing with the art of managing contracts.'

Until now, there has no book that sets out structures and strategies for sound supply contract management. This book sets out to do more than this: it aligns the science of sourcing and procuring of supplies/suppliers with the art of smart contract management. And it does so based on the author's sound knowledge of global markets and keen understanding of commercial deal-making, flanked with the legal pillars that maintain governance in an otherwise chaotic state of variation. What is also special about this book is that it recognises the challenges of mixing the science of procurement with the art of contract management and works out ways to blend the cultural divide.

The book is set out in a structured way to allow managers of business areas or their own businesses to manage contracts from a holistic standpoint, understanding and planning the reasons for seeking a contract before the suppliers are selected and before negotiations take shape. Supply contract management is explained as a 4 stage process from plan - to - procure - to - manage - to - review so that all the layers of contract management can be peeled away to shape the best fit supply chain.

This book shapes best practice on a global scale, and in a very real and pragmatic way, using examples and case studies for illustration. By doing so, it is both a guide, a business coach and a form of handbook for any manager - or indeed supplier - working in any part of the supply chain.