Write a report on one important contemporary purchasing and materials management topic that you think will have a major impact in the future. Your research paper could be based on an extensive literature search, or the analysis of some latest technique/tool or approach discussed in the professional circles. Through this exercise, students can learn how to critique the role and importance of purchasing and materials management within the context of an organisation’s overall business strategy. Most importantly, you need to demonstrate you have ideas of your own and not just duplicating the views from available materials. The marks given will depend on the insights or relevant topics that you are going to discuss.