Xchanging’s 2015 Global Procurement Study has revealed that the greatest external challenge for businesses’ operations is supply chain risk, with 77 per cent of the 830 procurement professionals surveyed acknowledging this factor as a challenge.

Roughly two-thirds of respondents claimed to be challenged by regulation and audit (71 per cent), lack of supplier innovation (63 per cent) and fluctuations in currency (58 per cent).

17 per cent of respondents believed supply chain risks to be an extreme challenge; the same goes for regulation and audit. 15 per cent saw currency fluctuation as an extreme challenge, with only 11 per cent thinking the same when it comes to lack of supplier innovation.

One in five respondents felt that their operations are directly threatened by the Eurozone crisis.

The study surveyed 830 procurement decision-makers across the UK, Europe and North America.

You can access the full report here.

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