The Hackett Group® 2026 Procurement Agenda and Key Issues Study
Set Your 2026 Procurement Agenda with Confidence
Insights from The Hackett Group® 2026 Procurement Agenda and Key Issues Study
Procurement leaders are entering 2026 under mounting pressure. Rising geopolitical and economic risk, expanding workloads, and shrinking resources are converging, while expectations to deliver greater value continue to grow.
The Hackett Group® 2026 Procurement Agenda and Key Issues Study reveals how high-performing procurement organizations are responding. While supply continuity and cost reduction remain mission-critical, AI-enabled technology and operating model transformation have moved into the top tier of strategic priorities for the first time.
Despite ongoing uncertainty, many organizations still expect stronger savings outcomes in 2026. These expectations are driven by accelerating AI adoption, smarter automation, and more targeted technology investment.
Procurement’s Mandate Is Expanding While Resources Are Not
Procurement workloads continue to rise, even as budgets and headcount come under increasing pressure. This widening gap is forcing leaders to rethink how work gets done and how value is delivered.
The study shows procurement teams are responding by:
- Accelerating AI and automation adoption
- Investing in analytics and decision intelligence
- Redesigning operating models to scale impact without adding cost
Technology investment is no longer discretionary. It is a critical enabler of productivity, resilience, and sustained value creation.
What the 2026 Data Reveals
- Supply continuity and cost reduction remain top priorities, while AI deployment and operating model transformation now rank among the leading strategic initiatives
- Fewer organizations expect to deliver higher savings in 2026 compared with the prior year
- AI adoption is now mainstream, with widespread use of generative AI and rapid growth in agent-based automation
- Rising workloads, combined with declining budgets and headcount, are accelerating demand for automation and advanced analytics
- Organizations actively advancing AI initiatives report measurable gains in productivity, cycle-time reduction, quality, and risk mitigation
- Economic volatility, geopolitical tensions, talent constraints, and cybersecurity represent the most significant risks shaping procurement strategy
- Over the next five years, top transformational forces include AI-enabled technology, digital procurement, skills evolution, and broader procurement transformation
Download the 2026 Procurement Agenda and Key Issues Study
Get the benchmarks, priorities, and insights procurement leaders are using to navigate volatility, accelerate AI adoption, and deliver more value with fewer resources.
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