Exhibit that tells the history of procurement on display at ASU
From left: ASU Professor Adegoke Oke; Edmund Zagorin, Arkestro’s chief strategy officer; and Ohad Kadan, Charles J. Robel Dean and W. P. Carey Distinguished Chair in Business cut the ribbon at the opening of the "Museum of Procurement" exhibit at McCord Hall on ASU's Tempe campus on Jan. 24. Photo courtesy the W. P. Carey School of Business
A traveling museum that chronicles the history of procurement — the process of buying and selling goods and services — is now on display at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.
On Jan. 24, the school welcomed Arkestro's "Museum of Procurement" with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The museum showcases how cultures from 4000 B.C.E. to the present day managed accounting, debt and billing.
Located on the second floor of McCord Hall, the museum will be open to the public through December.
"It is a big honor for W. P. Carey and the supply chain management department to host the 'Museum of Procurement,'" said Adegoke Oke, professor and chair of supply chain management. "The museum is more than just a collection of exhibits — it's a testament to the critical role procurement plays in supply chain management and global commerce."
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Ohad Kadan, Charles J. Robel Dean and W. P. Carey Distinguished Chair in Business, spoke about the school’s deep ties to procurement.
"It is part of our DNA, part of who we are," Kadan said.
The school's supply chain programs are consistently in the top three nationally by U.S. News & World Report, and the school's supply chain management department was chosen to host the museum for its groundbreaking research contributions to the procurement field.
"I'd like to thank Arkestro for bringing this exhibit here and telling us about the history of procurement," Kadan said.
Edmund Zagorin, Arkestro’s chief strategy officer, discussed procurement's rich history, from the first recorded piece of human writing — a purchase order from ancient Mesopotamia — to the development of the early computer used for calculations.
"I believe that some of the most meaningful work done in any business or organization is done by procurement and supply chain professionals," Zagorin said. "When you think about what's in your home … everything you see made its way to where you see it by traveling through a supply chain and moving through a procurement process. In that process, there is immense power, and it is power that is often unrecognized."
Dachi Tabatadze, an ASU supply chain management and business data analytics student, was drawn to the supply chain field for its endless growth opportunities, and has attended events like the ribbon-cutting ceremony, case competitions, career fairs and other professional activities through the supply chain management department and ASU's Supply Chain Management Association.
Tabatadze said the installation will serve as a resource to ASU students and the broader community.
"Attending this event was a truly wonderful experience. It was inspiring to hear from Professor Oke and Arkestro CSO Edmund Zagorin, who shared fascinating insights into the history and evolution of supply chain and procurement," Tabatadze said. "I’m grateful I had the chance to participate and engage with such meaningful discussions."
Oke said he hopes the installation will help students and professionals gain a deeper appreciation for the profession's evolution while providing knowledge-sharing and networking opportunities for those passionate about this critical pillar of the supply chain management field.
"Procurement is central to everything we do," Oke said. "Why worry about history when we are ready to move forward? Understanding the fundamentals, evolution and origin of procurement serves as inspiration for future developments in the field."
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