This paper develops an approach to evaluating designs for digitalisation
interventions in purchasing and supply management (PSM), and identifies
some fundamental design principles for such interventions. A set of
advanced technologies for digitalisation and a theory-based set of seven
value drivers for PSM are identified for the proposed grid to
facilitate the design of applications and interventions for digitalising
PSM. The grid relates the digital technologies to the PSM value drivers
in a matrix-like manner, allowing the structured consideration of the
space defined by these two dimensions. The proposed approach to the
strategic evolution of digitalisation in PSM is tested and its utility
is demonstrated in analyses of practitioner literature and multiple
case-study-based perspectives on PSM digitalisation. Two fundamental
design principles relating to the use of the grid, or to the filling of
its space, are set out, thus the research provides new theoretical
perspectives on the design of advanced forms of PSM digitalisation. The
proposed grid may be used in application design, communicating current
and future states of PSM digitalisation to stakeholders, and
specifically in developing a future-oriented strategy with a
digitalization element for the PSM function.