As the digital procurement transformation continues to evolve, it is crucial to adopt a risk-aware approach to ensure successful outcomes. This paper delves into the necessity of a risk-aware approach to digital procurement transformation, specifically focusing on the role of professional procurement management and the significance of supplier partnerships in the digital environment. The research aimed to examine the critical role of risk management in the digital transformation of procurement. A total of 318 respondents from Serbia participated in the study. The role of professional management in procurement must encompass risk management to guarantee success in digital procurement transformation. Furthermore, the study identified that adequate preparation, information, and training for individuals involved are crucial for a seamless transition to digital procurement. The digital transformation of procurement contributes to sustainability by enhancing efficiency, transparency, and collaboration across the supply chain, ultimately fostering environmentally conscious practices and responsible resource management. In summary, the research underscores the need for a comprehensive and risk-aware approach to digital procurement transformation, considering the pivotal roles of procurement professionals, supplier partnerships, and the integration of new technologies.

The main purpose of this work is to examine the current models of inventory management in manufacturing and trading companies and make a comparison with the pre-pandemic period in the context of the supply chain, through relevant and available information. Also, a comparison of stock levels of representative companies, before and after the pandemic, will be presented, in order to draw certain conclusions and possible guidelines. The emergence of the pandemic has led to major changes in the entire supply chain, especially in the domain of inventory management due to unstable and uncertain delivery times. Before the pandemic, in the largest number of companies, the most prevalent principle of inventory management was the JIT (Just in time) approach, however, after the pandemic, the JIC (Just in case) principle was increasingly used, which leads to a higher level of inventory, in order to protect companies from possible disruptions in the supply chain, such as longer delivery times, lack of energy sources, etc. Also, after the pandemic, there is a noticeable trend of Reshoring, i.e. returning production to companies' home countries and diversifying supply chains, in order to reduce supply dependence on one region or continent, due to growing geopolitical challenges. The pandemic has fundamentally reshaped inventory management, forcing companies to rethink their existing strategies, and to adopt more robust, flexible and technology-driven approaches, which enable a comparative advantage in the market, which we want to identify in this paper.