Includes index.

Contents: Part One : The Role of purchasing in the supply chain -- Industrial buying behaviour: decision making in purchasing -- The Purchasing process: the buyer's role -- Markets and products -- The Purchasing management process -- Part Two: Planning : Purchasing market research -- Purchasing and business strategy -- Sourcing strategy: getting better results from suppliers -- Purchasing and supply strategy, electronic market places and e- procurement -- Purchasing, engineering and quality control -- Purchasing and supply chain management -- Getting organized for purchasing -- Purchasing performance measurement -- Part Three : Supplier assessment : cost approaches and techniques -- Negotiating techniques and rules of conduct -- The Purchasing function in trade and retail companies -- Buying in a facilities environment -- Public procurement and EC directives.