"According to Kearney, Turkey's Star Shines in Global Supply Chain"

Kearney, an international consulting firm, stated that it was important how Western buyers understood it was important to supply from nearby regions in the pandemic, underlining that Turkey has gained a great advantage in this process with its proximity to Europe, having the same intellectual property rules as the EU and its improved production infrastructure. Onur Okutur, the Managing Partner of Kearney in Turkey, an international consulting firm, stated that the change in the global value chain in the pandemic has given Turkey a significant advantage, "European companies that started to diversify their supplier numbers and attract their purchases to nearby regions with the supply shocks brought by the pandemic have started to focus on producers in Turkey again thanks to location advantage and improved production technologies." In the first 9 months of 2021, Turkey's exports increased by 35% to more than $121 billion. Exports of $201.5 billion in the 12 months before July were recorded as a record in the history of the Republic. The report by Kearney examined what purchasing managers should pay attention to during the process of change caused by the pandemic under 5 topics.     TAKE ADVANTAGE OF UNCERTAINTIES IN THE MARKET The report said companies were more open to creative business relationship models and contracts during periods of high uncertainty and suggested purchasing managers renegotiate existing contracts and projects. However, it is emphasized that the window of opportunity to renew contracts will remain open for a short time and underlined that purchasing managers need to act quickly. SECURE THE SUPPLY CHAIN During the pandemic, countries closed borders, causing many companies' supply chains to break down. Kearney stressed that during this period, it became clear how important it was to supply from nearby regions and that Turkey and Eastern European countries, especially those governed by the same set of intellectual property and rules as the EU, got an edge over in this process. The report stated that there remains a risk of border closures due to increases in coronavirus case numbers, and companies were advised to closely monitor the financial situation of their suppliers and conduct a 360-degree risk assessment. FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY Kearney's report noted that 47% of residents of European countries consider global climate change a major threat to humanity and expect companies to set their own rules on sustainability. On the other hand, it was noted that the European Union's Green Statement on sustainability and the Carbon tax at the Border has the potential to profoundly affect producers in Turkey. Kearney said procurement policies should be revised in line with the company's sustainability goals and a new set of rules, such as the Green Statement, and suppliers should be informed about changing priorities. USE DIGITAL PROCUREMENT TOOLS In the report, it is stated that digital technologies make effective supply chain management very easy, and it is possible to predict supply fluctuations with big data and artificial intelligence. It was also noted that smart contracts working on the blockchain can ensure the security of procurement processes. Kearney advises purchasing managers to integrate digital technologies into procurement processes as soon as possible. NOTICE NEW CATEGORIES The emergence of remote working in the pandemic, and the change in consumer behavior in the meantime, led to the emergence of new categories of products and services. Cybersecurity, which comes up with remote work, is one of them, according to the report. Kearney emphasized that purchasing managers are faced with the responsibility of determining where the company needs support, in which areas the employees need training, by taking into account the new needs and taking action accordingly.