Dudić et al., 2024

Why Risk-Aware Digital Procurement Creates Stronger Organizations

Based on Dudić et al., 2024

Digital procurement is transforming how organizations manage suppliers, risks, and value creation. However, research shows that technology alone is not enough. Effective digital transformation requires strong governance, clear processes, and a risk-aware culture.
This article summarizes some recent findings and shares our professional perspective on what drives long-term success.

Summary of the Research

The study A Risk-Aware Approach to Digital Procurement Transformation (Dudić et al., 2024) highlights that organizations succeed with digital procurement when they integrate risk management with structured processes and data-driven decision-making. Central insights include:

• Digital tools require strong foundational processes to work as intended.

• Risk awareness must be integrated in day-to-day procurement work — not treated as a separate control function.

• Data quality is essential for reliable analytics and smart decision-making.

• Cultural readiness and competence are just as important as system implementation.

• A risk-aware approach increases resilience, transparency and long-term value.

Our Perspective

At AMB Konsult, we see a similar pattern in the organizations we work with:
digitalisation fails when the foundation is weak — and accelerates when structure, governance and risk awareness are in place.

We agree with the research:
digitalizing procurement is not an IT project, but a strategic transformation.
Technical tools can only create impact when they support well-designed processes and when teams understand how to use them effectively.

Our experience shows that success is built on:

• Clear roles, responsibilities and ownership

• Well-defined end-to-end processes aligned with the organisation's goals

• Practical risk frameworks that guide daily decisions

• Data governance routines to ensure quality, traceability and compliance

• Digital solutions that support structure

We believe that digitalisation should simplify decisions, strengthen control and create measurable value. The research confirms this approach.