
In organizations having many production centers which are situated at distant places, it may be an important issue to decide whether for the purpose of purchasing for all the production centers, there should be only one purchase department or for each production centre, there should be one purchase department. Upon the following factors the decision shall primarily depend:-
- the distance between the production centers & the central godown,
- the nature of the materials used i.e. whether the material is bulky, heavy, fragile etc. ,
- the cost & risk involved in transport,
- the firm’s policy in this respect; & secondarily upon the comparative advantage & disadvantage of the two systems.
Where for the purpose of purchasing for all, there is one purchase department; in that case it is referred to as centralized purchase. When, on the other hand, when for each production center, there is a purchase department, it is referred as decentralized purchase. The comparative advantage & the disadvantages of the two systems are as below:
From the point of View of |
Centralized Purchase |
Decentralized Purchase |
1.Control |
On buying better control is exercised. |
Effective control may not be present. |
2. Terms of Purchase |
Due to large scale order, better terms of purchase may be available. |
Less favourable terms may be available. |
3. Departmental skill |
Economy in purchase can be obtained by better skill of the staff |
Skill of the staff may not develop up to the mark. |
4. Efficiency |
Efficiency is obtained due to specialization |
Efficiency cannot be expected when purchase is made by department heads who are loaded with other work |
5.
Standardization of |
When purchase is made by centralized purchasing department, all departments can get standard materials |
From department to department ,standards of materials may vary |
6.
Regulation of purchase |
In case if centralization purchase, regulation of purchase policy &giving prompt effect to any change is easy |
In case of decentralized purchase, change in purchase policy cannot be easily given effect to. |
7. Initial cost |
Initial cost is relatively high |
Initial cost is relatively low. |
8.
Economy of staff, |
Economy of staff,& accommodation and also finance can be achieved by centralized purchase because excess of stores need not be held |
More staff and more accommodation and more finance to purchase is required in decentralized purchase |
9. Transport cost |
From central go down to production centres, transport cost is considerable |
From central go down to production centres, transport cost is practically nil |
10. Risk in transport |
Fragile items are subject to risk |
There is no risk involved |
11. Local purchase |
Advantage of local market cannot be obtained |
Advantages of local market can be enjoyed |
12. Promptness in
supply of |
Prompt supply cannot be expected, even there may be bottlenecks |
Prompt supply without |
13. Inter-departmental |
For favouritism, central supp may sometimes be criticized and also misunderstanding between production centers and central purchase department may be there |
Chances of misunderstanding are absent |
14. Blocking of capital |
More working capital even sometimes unnecessarily , are blocked |
Unnecessary blocking of working capital may be avoided |
Thus, (a) Centralized purchase is suitable where-
- One or several plants are closely situated.
- For production of standard products, one basic raw material is used by the plant or plants.
- (b) Decentralized purchase is suitable where,
- Several plants are distantly situated.
- For production of different materials, plants use different raw materials.
The above cannot be the firm conclusion, because centralized purchase may benefit plants which are distinctly situated but use very costly but light materials, the reason behind this is that, negligible cost of transport is there & better control on material cost can be achieved.
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- Accounting for Materials
- ABC System/Selective Control System
- Average Cost Methods
- Comparison of FIFO& LIFO methods, Next-in-First out (NIFO) Method
- Economic order Quantity (EOQ)
- General Accounting Entries for Materials
- Levels of Stock
- Material Control
- Materials-Introduction
- Materials-Pricing the Issue
- Materials receipt & checking, Constituents of Material Cost
- Periodic Simple Average Method, Periodic Weighted Average Method
- Perpetual Inventory system
- Purchase Procedure
- Standard Price Method
- Stock Valuation
- Types of Stores