Article: Procure-to-pay processes: an empirical exploration of inefficiencies Journal: International Journal of Procurement Management (IJPM) 2025 Vol.24 No.2 pp.240 - 259 Abstract: In recent years, researchers have increasingly centred their attention on strategic and tactical procurement processes. In contrast to that, procure-to-pay processes, which operationally ensure the availability of input resources, have rarely been studied. However, industry managers know that P2P processes can be a constant source of resource consumption and compliance risks. In this research, an exploratory analysis of real-world ERP data using process mining methods shows the nature of P2P inefficiencies as well as hints regarding their origin. Four requestor-related, four item-related, and four supplier-related factors resonating with a newly developed inefficiency indicator are structurally reviewed. This study contributes to the academic discussion on information systems in operations/process management in three ways: methodically, by introducing and testing a new measure for process inefficiency; empirically, by applying the rather novel technique of process mining to a large-scale real-world dataset; and theoretically, by exploring the character of P2P inefficiency. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Procure-to-pay processes: an empirical exploration of inefficiencies

Authors: Jonas Ronellenfitsch; Jana-Rebecca Rehse; Fareed Zandkarimi; Christoph Bode

Addresses: Business School, University of Mannheim, Schloss Schneckenhof Ost, 68131 Mannheim, Germany ' Business School, University of Mannheim, Schloss Schneckenhof Ost, 68131 Mannheim, Germany ' Business School, University of Mannheim, Schloss Schneckenhof Ost, 68131 Mannheim, Germany ' Business School, University of Mannheim, Schloss Schneckenhof Ost, 68131 Mannheim, Germany

Abstract: In recent years, researchers have increasingly centred their attention on strategic and tactical procurement processes. In contrast to that, procure-to-pay processes, which operationally ensure the availability of input resources, have rarely been studied. However, industry managers know that P2P processes can be a constant source of resource consumption and compliance risks. In this research, an exploratory analysis of real-world ERP data using process mining methods shows the nature of P2P inefficiencies as well as hints regarding their origin. Four requestor-related, four item-related, and four supplier-related factors resonating with a newly developed inefficiency indicator are structurally reviewed. This study contributes to the academic discussion on information systems in operations/process management in three ways: methodically, by introducing and testing a new measure for process inefficiency; empirically, by applying the rather novel technique of process mining to a large-scale real-world dataset; and theoretically, by exploring the character of P2P inefficiency.

Keywords: procurement; procure-to-pay; P2P; purchase-to-pay; process inefficiencies; process mining; data mining; empirical research; operations management; information systems.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPM.2025.148608

International Journal of Procurement Management, 2025 Vol.24 No.2, pp.240 - 259

Received: 16 Jan 2024
Accepted: 27 Jan 2024
Published online: 15 Sep 2025 *

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Title: Procure-to-pay processes: an empirical exploration of inefficiencies

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