Manufacturer‐supplier relationships
Szwejczewski, Marek Lemke, Fred Goffin, Keith
Szwejczewski, Marek
Lemke, Fred
Goffin, Keith
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Publication Type
Journal article with impact factor
Editor
Supervisor
Publication Year
2005-09-01
Journal
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
Book
Publication Volume
25
Publication Issue
9
Publication Begin page
875
Publication End page
897
Publication Number of pages
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Abstract
Purpose Effective management of suppliers is one of the ways manufacturing companies can improve their performance. Typically, it has been argued in the literature that close relationships with suppliers should be developed, in contrast to the traditional price‐driven transactional relationships. However, there has been relatively little empirical research on how supplier management is applied. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents research probing how manufacturers manage their suppliers and takes a sample from Germany – which has a large manufacturing sector. In‐depth interviews with purchasing managers were used to understand whether relationships with suppliers were being utilised. Findings The analysis of the data indicates that a significant portion of the companies surveyed had experienced a change in their relationship with suppliers in the last few years. In the main, relationships had become closer and the use of partnerships was in evidence. Practical implications The research results have implications for German manufacturing companies, as they indicate the potential for improving performance through the greater adoption of best practices in the area of supplier management. The research results indicate the need for German manufacturers to adopt leading‐edge practices in the area of supplier management. Originality/value Although exploratory in nature, the investigation demonstrated the need for researchers to better understand the range of relationships in a typical manufacturer's supplier base.
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Keywords
3509 Transportation, Logistics and Supply Chains, 35 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services, 3507 Strategy, Management and Organisational Behaviour