This article is about professional development courses and qualifications that are suitable for specialists and professionals and available to be studied by online distance learning.

In most organisations there are specialists who have responsibility for the critically important activity of working with specialists and managers in their organisations, to identify resource needs, to find suitable suppliers, negotiate quantities and prices, and ensure that the materials or services are brought into and dispersed within the organisation as efficiently as possible.

It is also the case that, increasingly, as with human resource activity, personnel issues, budgeting, and cost control, many team leaders and managers now have purchasing responsibilities. This can include identifying needs, sourcing suppliers, purchasing the goods or services, and monitoring the performance of those purchases – in effect, managing the supply chain, albeit at an operational level.

Add to this the impact of the current economic crisis, and in the public and private sectors, in organisations large and small, the efficient and effective management of supplies is now of more importance than ever.

For these reasons it is essential that all those involved have a sound knowledge and understanding of best practices in purchasing, procurement, and supply chain management.

Courses and qualifications accredited by the UK  Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply provide the quality of information, knowledge, and expertise that is required.

Providers such as Brighton School of Business and Management Limited, a private business school offering a wide range of professional development courses, offer the CIPS qualifications, delivered by distance learning, to students in the UK and around the world.

Given that organisations are increasingly reluctant to allow time off work for classroom or workshop studies, distance learning is the preferred choice for many individuals and their organisations.

Studying by distance learning has many benefits, including studying at a pace that suits your personal style, studying at home and-or at work at times convenient to you, time away from work is not needed, and your studies can be speeded up or slowed down as your circumstances change, plus you receive focused, personalised support from your course tutor

For team leaders, supervisors, and operational managers with purchasing, procurement, or supply chain management as part of their responsibilities, an ideal course of study would be the CIPS Foundation Diploma in Purchasing and Supply.

This qualification is internationally recognised by employers in the public and private sectors, and by educational establishments worldwide for those wishing to use it as a stepping stone on to higher level courses.

The Foundation Diploma course covers purchasing and supply key activities such as Effective Negotiations, Developing Contracts, Measuring Performance, Managing Relationships, and Purchasing Contexts.

Mature students studying with Brighton School of Business and Management receive considerable support from a UK-based Personal Tutor who is available by email, fax, post, and telephone, to provide advice and guidance.

For those who plan to develop their career in purchasing, procurement, or supply chain management further, there are higher level qualifications to move on to, such as the CIPS Advanced Diploma in Purchasing and Supply, or moving across to a specialist management qualification such as the Diploma in Management Studies DMS.

For more information on this and our other Business and Management courses, please visit www.brightonsbm.com.