Commitment Matters

Coronavirus: Top Ten Affected Industries

Mar 10, 2020 9:35:40 AM

News headlines, stock market fluctuations, photos of empty supermarket shelves ... should we be panicking, or has there been over-reaction?

Contract performance and supply chains

Posted by Tim Cummins, President of IACCM, Professor, Leeds University School of Law; Chair, International Commercial & Contract Management

Mar 3, 2020 3:14:21 AM

The last few weeks have seen a lot written about the impacts of coronavirus on supply chains. The fear of supply shortages and consequent disruption to production underlies many of the predictions of a global economic slowdown. How worried should we be?

Topics: contract /commercial management, IACCM, supply chain, Coronavirus, global supply chains, risk sourcing

Contracts, Law & Society: The IACCM Symposiums for 2020

Posted by Tim Cummins, President, IACCM

Mar 2, 2020 10:58:30 AM

Last year’s IACCM Academic Symposiums were sell-out events – and this year promises to be no different! There is broad consensus that contract and commercial management are critical competencies for managing and making sense of today’s turbulent markets, so driving and disseminating relevant research is of tremendous importance to business and society more generally.

The global economy, coronavirus and Heathrow

Posted by Tim Cummins, President, IACCM

Mar 2, 2020 10:53:58 AM

The decision by the UK Appeal Court to block development of a third runway at London Heathrow may at first sight have little to do with coronavirus. But in fact, are we starting to see the convergence of forces that will fundamentally reshape social values and the global economy?

The pernicious effect of compliance

Posted by Tim Cummins, President, IACCM

Feb 28, 2020 12:12:35 PM

These days, organizations invest heavily in compliance. It’s important, but done the wrong way can have disastrous results.

Commercial Management is an anti-profession

Posted by Tim Cummins, President of IACCM, Professor, Leeds University School of Law; Chair, International Commercial & Contract Management

Feb 27, 2020 2:39:38 AM

Let’s face it, professions are both good and bad. They create standards and promote integrity. But they also introduce restrictions and delays.

Topics: contract /commercial management, procurement, commercial management, legal & regulatory, IACCM, the future of professions

Where next globalization?

Posted by Tim Cummins, President, IACCM

Feb 24, 2020 7:33:13 AM

The coronavirus crisis is illustrating the stark interdependencies of the modern world. Businesses everywhere are having to confront delays, missing components and claims under force majeure.

Coronavirus and Force Majeure

Posted by Tim Cummins, President, IACCM

Feb 18, 2020 5:07:30 PM

At the time of the Global Financial Crisis, the Force Majeure clause briefly rose to second place in the annual study of the most negotiated terms. Those buyers and suppliers who had sufficient power to drive changes sought to reshape the clause in ways that would work to their advantage.

Contract redesign is great – but it needs conventions

Posted by Tim Cummins, President, IACCM

Feb 14, 2020 11:22:56 AM

Contract redesign is an exciting and massively beneficial movement. Digitization has enabled new thinking in both the form and the purpose of contracts. We have entered an era where trading relationships are not just proliferating, but also need to be adaptive to shifting values, volatile markets and constant innovation. To support these demanding conditions, contracts are assuming a new and dynamic role, facilitating understanding and performance – which means design for users and clarity of communication.