Is procurement strategic yet, is it still in progress or is there little change from the traditional role of the buyer?

There are two ends of the spectrum when it comes to procurement management. On the one side is the professional involved in all procurement decisions, from the first meeting to the last. At the other end of the scale is procurement as ‘buyers’, seen as a clerical role with little or no involvement before or following the actual purchase. The move of procurement staff to the more professional end of the scale has long been predicted by the industry. The question is has there been this change in procurement culture, is it still in progress or is there little change from the traditional role of the buyer? What do you think and what is it like where you work?