This edition of the monthly newsletter provides information about the CAPS Research documents that are now available at the CAPS Research public web site (www.capsresearch.org). Please note that all first-time visitors need to create a user login profile to access the research documents.

Newly Published Resources at www.capsresearch.org

Critical Issues Report: Process Guide for Supply Management Environmental Sustainability
Many firms are seeking universally accepted models for environmental sustainability programs. Unfortunately, few exist. As an immediate aid to supply managers and as a precursor to creating industry-specific benchmarks for environmental sustainability, this brief guide to initiating a program for supply management environmental sustainability can serve as a starting point. It is the result of various interviews and in-depth discussions with supply management executives from CAPS Research sponsoring companies and other thought leaders. The report covers five major stages in the environmentally sustainable program creation process, from defining the topic to running a pilot program.

• Click here to access the Critical Issues report, "Process Guide for Supply Management Environmental Sustainability."

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Benchmarking Report: Enterprise-Wide Shared Services Centers
Fifty-six percent of the individuals who have overall management responsibility for their Shared Services Center also have other functional responsibilities. For a cross-industry snapshot of the popularity of enterprise-wide Shared Services Centers, the functions being performed within the Shared Services Center, and the level of executive who has overall management responsibility for each center's operations, you will want to view this 2008 focused benchmarking report.

• Click here to access the Benchmarking report, "Enterprise-Wide Shared Services Centers."

Benchmarking Report: ISM Services Group - Services and Commodities Spend Summary Report 2008
This summary report corresponds to the metric report on services and commodities spend and lists 48 different commodities and services for which many procurement organizations have acquisition responsibility. These 48 services and commodities are grouped as follows: Capital, Construction, and Facilities; Consulting, Temporary Labor, and Professional Services; Information Technology; Logistics; Marketing Services and Media; and Travel, Fleet, and Meetings. Both the metric report and the summary report provide information to compare functional procurement strategies (in-sourced or outsourced) and look at the purchasing methods (RFx, Direct Negotiations, and Reverse Auctions).

• Click here to access the Benchmarking report, "ISM Services Group: Services and Commodities Spend Summary Report 2008."

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Benchmarking Opportunities:

• Market Basket of Goods for Print Services: Data collection continues through January 9, 2009.
• Market Basket of Goods for Branded Items: This new survey will be released in Jan. 2009.
• Focused Benchmarking for Automotive Parts Manufacturing Industry: This new survey will be released in Jan. 2009.

Do You Want To Benchmark? If the answer is 'Yes', you should contact the benchmarking team at CAPS Research to get your company added to the list of companies who will be asked to provide data for the 2009 Cross-Industry Report of Standard Benchmarks. Just send an email to metrics@capsresearch.orgasking for more information about benchmarking opportunities.

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Knowledge Central:

The following reports and information are now published on www.capsknowledge.org which is a sponsor-only searchable archive of CAPS Research studies, leading-edge practices, benchmarking reports and best practices presentations:

• CPO Insights: Dealing With the Challenges of the Current Economic Environment
• Focus Study: Supply Management’s Strategic Role in Environmental Practices
• Practix: The Greening of Expedited Packaging: A U.S. Postal Service and Supplier Collaboration
• CAPS Research Collaboration Center: Reviews and comments on the Best Practices Workshop Interactive Strategy Sessions

Please note that only CAPS Research sponsor organizations have full access to Knowledge Central. For information about this searchable archive of all CAPS Research studies, leading-edge practices, benchmarking reports and best practices presentations, contact research@capsresearch.org. If you haven't already done so, I encourage you to click on Knowledge Central Overview for a short, five-minute guided tour of our Sponsor web site, Knowledge Central.

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Other News:

• Are you ready to facilitate your organization's transformation to excellence? CAPS Research will release the next Executive Assessment questionnaire in late Jan. 2009. This highly regarded and effective assessment process helps supply management leaders determine the importance placed on their organizations critical supply strategies. The assessments are designed to help senior executives facilitate their organization's transformation by validating the current implementation state of their critical sourcing and supply chain strategies. For information on how to participate, send an email to dmaciejewski@capsresearch.org.
• The 20th Annual International Executive Roundtable will be held Apr 15 - 17, 2009 in Scottsdale, Arizona. This year we celebrate 20 years of hosting Executive Roundtables for chief purchasing officers. The theme is, “Supply Management: Strategies for Superior Results in Turbulent Times”. Amid unprecedented business uncertainty, there is no better time to gain insights into successful strategy steps. This is a CAPS Research Sponsor event.

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For more information about CAPS Research programs and products please contact us at Research@capsresearch.org.

Sincerely,
Phillip Carter, D.B.A.
Executive Director
CAPS Research

CAPS Research is a global research organization jointly sponsored by the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, and the Institute for Supply Management™.

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