EnerTech Asia’s Procurement Dilemma – Tech Investment or Cultural Change?
EnerTech Asia is driving its Procurement 4.0 transformation across Southeast Asia, blending automation with human-centered change. Can technology alone deliver excellence, or must people lead the transformation?
At a glance
Country
Singapore & Malaysia
Industry
Energy
Case Focus
Digital procurement transformation
Abstract
EnerTech Asia, a fictional leading energy firm, launched a Procurement 4.0 transformation to modernize operations in Singapore and Malaysia using Coupa, a cloud-based procure-to-pay platform. While initial gains in efficiency and transparency were achieved, challenges soon emerged as automation alone could not address behavioral and cultural barriers. Resistance to change, slow approvals, and uneven system adoption underscored the need for better alignment between technology, people, and processes.
This problem-solving case explores how EnerTech Asia can overcome these procurement challenges through frameworks like Lean Six Sigma’s DMAIC and the Shingo Model, focusing on process improvement, leadership, and culture. The study presents three strategic paths: emphasizing technology, prioritizing people and culture, or integrating both for sustainable excellence.
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Disclaimers:
(1) Regarding Case Study Content: This case study is based mainly on secondary data and analysis of publicly available information unless otherwise stated, and is intended solely for educational purposes. Any opinions expressed by the author(s) are designed to facilitate learning discussion and do not serve to illustrate the effectiveness of the company. Additionally, banner images and logos used in the case study are intended for visualization in an educational setting and it is not used to represent or brand the company. For any dispute regarding the content and usage of images and logos, please contact the team.
(2) Regarding University Affiliation and Titles of Authors: The university affiliation and titles of author(s) seen in the case study is based on their affiliation and title during the time of publication. It may or may not represent the current status of said author(s).
