The Education & Research Foundation of the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) released the results of a research study examining procurement chain management in the construction industry. The study, co-sponsored by NECA's Electrical Contracting Foundation and other construction industry groups, was conducted by Dr. Perry Daneshgari, adjunct professor of engineering at the University of Michigan and president of MCA Inc. The researchers recommended instituting a new procurement model that utilizes the benefits of horizontal integration, in which all participants in the supply chain use their expertise to reduce non-value added activities and reduce the work in process. For more information, call 888-791-2512 or visit www.naed.org.