Publication type
Journal article with impact factorPublication Year
2000Journal
The International Journal of Logistics ManagementPublication Volume
11Publication Issue
2Publication Begin page
45Publication End page
58
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Streamlining the supplier base is a common approach in many US and UK manufacturing companies. However, is this approach being adopted in Germany as fast as it has in the UK? This paper describes research that answers this question and investigates how German companies are managing contacts with their suppliers. The research was conducted in two stages. First, a postal survey of German and UK manufacturers identified the supplier base trends. Second, a follow‐up telephone survey of a random sample of German plants investigated supplier management processes. The findings show that German manufacturers have not reduced their supplier base by as much as their UK counterparts. However, German manufacturers that have reduced their supplier base perceive significant benefits. Currently, many companies appear to have failed to recognize the potential of working with a reduced supplier base.Keyword
Suppliers, Supplier relations, United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, Supply‐chain managementKnowledge Domain/Industry
Operations & Supply Chain Managementae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1108/09574090010806155