The Value of “Tacit Knowledge” Hidden in Procurement Operations
“If that veteran procurement manager leaves, we won’t be able to maintain relationships with our suppliers.” Many business owners likely share this concern.
In the procurement departments of manufacturing companies, there is a wealth of “intuition and experience” backed by years of expertise. However, this knowledge exists only in the minds of individuals, making it a breeding ground for reliance on specific personnel.
Taking on this challenge with AI is Yusuke Ohira of Leaner Inc. The company is working to digitize procurement operations in manufacturing, converting tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge.
This news is not just another “AI implementation case study.” It raises a fundamental question about how business owners should define IT.
Three Changes Brought by Digitizing Tacit Knowledge
Eliminating Reliance on Individuals and Standardizing Operations
The aspects of procurement most prone to reliance on specific individuals are “the timing of price negotiations” and “the criteria for selecting alternative suppliers.”
Veteran staff unconsciously make judgments like, “Ordering this part at this time makes it easier to get a discount,” or “This manufacturer has a high risk of delivery delays.”
The AI developed by Leaner learns from past transaction data and negotiation histories to suggest optimal ordering times and price ranges. This enables even inexperienced staff to make decisions on par with veterans.
Faster Management Decision-Making
When procurement data is visualized, business owners can grasp in real-time “which parts are likely to run short” and “which supplier relationships pose a risk.”
Previously, managers had to wait for reports from the field and cross-reference multiple documents to see the big picture. Now, this can be done with a single dashboard.
This is the ideal form of “management IT,” which simultaneously enhances the quality and speed of management decisions.
Optimizing the Entire Supply Chain
When procurement data is digitized, it becomes possible to visualize not only your own company’s situation but also that of your suppliers.
Information like “That manufacturer has entered production adjustments” or “This raw material price is soaring” can be shared in real-time.
As a result, inventory optimization and risk diversification become possible, leading to a more resilient overall supply chain.
Lowering the Barrier to Adoption with Subsidies
Supporting these digitalization efforts is the “Digitalization and AI Introduction Subsidy” for fiscal year 2026.
A service called “OneRegi” by Sky Dining Inc. has been selected as a support provider for this subsidy. With up to 75% of costs covered, it is now easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to adopt.
While “OneRegi” is a digitalization support service for restaurants, its underlying principles can also be applied to procurement DX in manufacturing.
The key is not to view the subsidy merely as a “trigger for IT adoption,” but as an “opportunity to draw up a blueprint for management IT.”
It should be used as an investment to review the entire business process and enhance the quality of management decisions, rather than just ending with the introduction of a tool.
The Importance of Business Owners Defining IT
What the Leaner case shows is that IT is not a “tool for operational efficiency” but a “device to enhance the quality of management decisions.”
The reason many companies fail at procurement DX is that they limit the purpose of IT adoption to “operational efficiency.”
The true purpose should be to “enable business owners to make better decisions.”
To achieve this, business owners themselves need to define “what they want to visualize” and “what decisions they want to speed up.”
If they outsource everything to the IT department or vendors, it will end up as a partial optimization for the field and won’t lead to overall optimization for management.
Summary: Digitizing Tacit Knowledge Determines Next-Generation Competitiveness
Digitizing “intuition and experience” in manufacturing holds the potential to fundamentally change the quality of management decisions, not just improve operational efficiency.
Eliminating reliance on specific individuals, improving decision-making speed, and optimizing the entire supply chain—these effects are directly linked to a company’s competitiveness.
Now that adoption using subsidies is becoming more realistic, isn’t it time for business owners to define IT and seriously tackle procurement DX?
“Digitizing the wisdom of veterans before they retire”—this may be the responsibility required of next-generation business owners.
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