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Procurement and contract management are undergoing radical transformation in many organizations.

Developed in response to recent research from the CIPD - which found that 64% of L&D professionals don’t have the capabilities to support learners online - the new paper examines the evolution of digital learning, the benefits it provides and the challenges of implementation.

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This paper entitled "Procurement and Contract Management - The Role of Art & Science", reviews the evidence for these developments and discusses a number of major trends that are changing the world of procurement and contract management.

Too often, once a change programme has been implemented and the project team has been reabsorbed back into the business, the benefits gradually slip away.

Launched in the 1970s by US giants like Tony Robbins and Louise Hay, and fed by videos ranging from 'The Secret to What the Bleep Do We Know', the self-help movement has become a booming industry offering everything from NLP and healing to the Law of Attraction.

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It’s a knowledge economy, and that’s especially true for consultancies.

Capgemini to expand data and insights capabilities to meet growing market demands Paris – A global report by Capgemini, one of the world's foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, in partnership with EMC Corporation, reveals that amid the market disruption being driven by Big Data, two-thirds of organizations (65 per cent) acknowledge they are at risk of becoming uncompetitive unless they embrace new data analytics solutions.

But what has this to do with organizations wanting to succeed with continuous improvement? Grownups at work don’t behave like that, do they? No, there is a crucial difference.

Acting as one requires thinking as one.

The world we live in continues to change at an intense rate.

For managers, time is a scarce commodity.

Do you have the courage to confront your fears? If you don’t they will subconsciously influence your decisions and actions.

In an increasingly health-conscious society where we are all constantly made aware of the importance of regular exercise and the benefits eating 5 fruit or vegetables a day, it is remarkable that taking care of our minds is still such a taboo subject.

Value Partnership’s research reveals that: 77% of senior managers are not confident that there is a leadership team in place and/or working effectively to deliver strategic change.

Continuous Improvement Paradox #1 – Simplicity A common reaction to failed improvement initiatives is going for a more advanced solution.

In 1959 Nils Bohlin, an engineer at the Swedish Car Manufacturer Volvo, invented the first three point safety belt.

According to William Buist of Abelard Collaborative Consultancy and xTEN Club, marketing isn't a science.

The corporate world inevitably takes risks to meet shareholder demands.

The concept of “Lean” has been one of the most important influences on business in recent decades, originating in manufacturing and more recently being adapted for use by service sector industries.

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Consumers’ Association Which?* state the number of people who work beyond state pension age (currently 65 for men and 62 for women) is 1.4 million, up from 753,000 in 1993 and set to continue to rise steadily.

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MOST business leaders will tell you that a motivated work force is the holy grail of company success.

Authored by David Holmes of Oliver Wight Americas and Andy Walker of Oliver Wight EAME, the paper discusses the advantages that statistical forecasting can bring to a business when it is embedded across the organisation as part of an integrated demand management process, helping anticipate changes in demand well in advance, so the business can respond accordingly. The white paper also highlights the shortcomings of statistical forecasting and why it is critical to design a statistical forecasting model that is right for the individual company, and for all employees to understand the subsequent data. “All too often, processes and tools are addressed with vigour but people and behaviour not so,” says Holmes.

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HOW often in life have we all been told to ‘play to our strengths’ in order to maximise our potential? Yet when it comes to a business environment, too often professionals fail to achieve this.

The author of Transforming Public Services called for better support to key work-groups who have the greatest impact upon patients, clients and the public.

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- Investigation suggests reward and compensation policies may be doing more harm than good - Evidence presented at HR summit suggests a downside but little upside. **** Reward and remuneration policies may be doing more harm than good.

In theory, the closer to the top you are the better your reputation and the higher your value.

In business, a mentoring relationship – one where someone takes on the role of a trusted advisor, supporter, teacher and wise counsel to another person – is a win-win for all parties: the employee who wants a mentor, the mentor themselves, and the organisations that employs the mentoring pair.

Dominic Kitchin from The Science of Buying has some advice to help you use word of mouth to build your business: As daunting as this may seem, it is possible to start and grow a business almost entirely through word-of-mouth.

The Future is Small is a new book that raises pertinent questions about the future of investing, beginning with the current stagnation of world economies - despite trillions of dollars of support being injected into the global financial system.

From Richard Branson and Steve Jobs to Donald Trump, all professionals have business icons they look up to with a mixture of admiration .

While his vision for leadership is absolutely right, research has revealed that many leaders continue to fall short when it comes to empowering their staff - with almost 50 per cent still creating demotivating work environments.

MOTIVATION The strain on businesses to win over customers, retain them and come out on top, and to survive in a world of social influence and SMART technology, amidst huge choice and competition is enormous so businesses increasingly need to understand how their consumers think and feel when they make purchases.

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Last week Microsoft boss Satya Nadella caused a storm by saying that women shouldn’t ask for pay rises, but rather put their trust in karma.

Harvard Business Review Press has today published a new book entitled Leading Digital: Turning Technology into Business Transformation.

This can be especially useful for senior women who are looking to get ahead or gain a promotion but find themselves being held back.

The options employees can now ask include part-time working, flexi-time and job sharing, compressed hours and working from home or remotely.

Shaw says: “If risk is the potential of losing something of value, weighed against the potential to gain something of value then we make those sorts of decisions all the time whether it be to sell a million pounds of shares, or crossing the road but most of us have personalities that can be categorised as risk avoiders or risk takers in business.

William Buist, CEO of Abelard and Founder of xTEN Club suggests there are five key mistakes that many business owners make when networking for their business.

To create a compelling vision, leaders need to think big, using plenty of imagination and creativity to consider the future business strategy.

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Change is one of the inevitable things that we all have to face, and how we deal with change makes the difference between success and failure in all aspects of life every day.