Purchasing and supply chain management practices in Botswana

Discusses supply chain management practices, with emphasis on purchasing, in Botswana (a developing country). Focuses on problems facing business operations and how to improve the situation. Presents the views of purchasing personnel from public and private organizations and of students taking purchasing and supply chain management courses. Discovers that purchasing has not been recognized as a profession, which has led to lack of motivation in purchasing sections’ personnel. Further, purchasing policies on external relationships and image are non‐existent in most organizations. Claims that managers need to change their thinking about the purchasing and supply function – to see it as strategic and not clerical; and purchasing and supplies personnel require training in supply chain management.