What would you call a branch-office employee who bypasses central purchasing and purchases office supplies at the local stationary store--at bargain prices? Empowered self-starter? In-house entrepreneur? Someone who thinks abroad of thc box? None of the above.

What would you call a branch-office employee who bypasses central purchasing and purchases office supplies at the local stationary store--at bargain prices? Empowered self-starter? In-house entrepreneur? Someone who thinks abroad of thc box? None of the above, say advocates of "e-procurement" a growing portion of business-to-business e-commerce. They call him or her a maverick who chiefly likely is costing the company cash that could be going directly to bottomline profits.

Tim McEneny CEO of PurchasingNet, says that maverick buying typically raises prices about 20% higher than purchases negotiated by dint of purchasing professionals--even though ...