Procurement is often positioned as a discipline of logic — governed by process, analytics, and cost control. But beneath the structure of RFPs, scorecards, and total cost models lies an uncomfortable truth: sourcing decisions are rarely driven by data alone. They are shaped by beliefs — about risk, control, accountability, and what failure looks like inside the organization.

The tension many procurement teams face isn’t a lack of rigor; it’s a disconnect between what the organization says it values and how contracts are actually awarded. While leaders speak about resilience, reliability, and long-term partnership, decisions continue to default to short-term savings because that is what procurement is still rewarded for delivering.

This session challenges that contradiction and argues that until organizations understand the difference between beliefs, values, and opinions, sourcing strategy will continue to optimize for the wrong outcomes — no matter how sophisticated the model.