17 January 2012 | Andy Davies
BBC1, Mondays 9pm
★★
There are some in our profession who look forward to the ‘buying round’ of The Apprentice, or this, its ‘yoof’ version. This could be how
we introduce the young to procurement, they say. But surely this is just entertainment, not serious business?
Lord Sugar is hopelessly unclear with the brief. We’re told Madame Tussaud’s needs to replace a whole gamut of items daily – the dummies wear them out, apparently. But it turns out the whole point of the exercise is the negotiation. Just coming back with the goods ain’t enough. “It’s not a treasure hunt,” says sidekick Karren Brady. The early signs aren’t good. Team Kinetic’s sourcing strategy involves driving around, randomly looking at shops out of the car window. Atomic, led by Zara, plans first, but then follows a lead to Croydon, an epic journey during which their strategy loses its way.
I’ll say this, though: the kids ain’t bad at negotiation. But not everyone can do it. Brady asks polite Hayley if she “finds negotiation hard”. She’s fired.
Perhaps time is up for The Apprentice – they’re running out of ideas. The briefing, the battling, the boardroom – formulaic is the word.
☛ Andy Davies, director, London Universities
Purchasing Consortium
