Supplier Selection Analytics and Visualization Using IBM Cognos: An Important Step in Procurement Decision Making and Supply Chain Finance Management

Choosing a supplier is a crucial decision-making process. Purchasing raw materials from suppliers is one of the key functions in the manufacturing sector. This study case is a business that sells equipments for hospitals and Pharma companies, with its primary offering being sheets made from SS304 as the raw material. This study found that there are certain issues with procurement of metal sheets from suppliers, such as improper supplier selection procedures, delays in raw material acceptance, and disparities in raw material prices and quality among suppliers. Here we have used analytics method for selection of supplier by using simple yet efficient, mathematical modeling such as Linear Point Method (LPM). This is also supported by data visualization tool, IBM Cognos, which is one of the most advanced data visualization tool being used across the globe. The study aimed to determine model to select best supplier using LPM and Cognos to make procurement decision quickly and more accurate. In this research we have collected data form 7 suppliers with 4 important attributes related to cost, quality and delivery time. As this study is conducted for small manufacturing industry, the matrix of data attribute is small. The same study can also be applied on large scale by increasing number of suppliers and criteria attributes.