Buyer-supplier relationship typologies are useful analytical tools for purchasing managers in managing exchange relationships with suppliers and monitoring their purchasing portfolios. Existing buyer-supplier relationship typologies are mainly focused on either relational contents or power-dependence and have limited empirical support for their performance implications. In this study, we developed an alternative buyer-supplier relationship typology that integrates both relational content and power-dependence dimensions, resulting in four generic relationship types: market, power, autonomous-link, and constrained-link relationships. We then performed a longitudinal exploratory investigation of eight leading firms in the U.S. computer industry to explore the performance implications of the typology, using a combinatorial qualitative approach that leverages the strengths of case study research, content analysis, and quasi-experimental design. The results suggest three theoretical propositions. First, the association between the type of buyer-supplier relationships and buyer firm performance varies such that constrainedlink relationships are superior in terms of operational efficiency while autonomous-link relationships are superior in terms of product innovation. Second, the positive association between buyer-supplier relational contents (i.e., relationalism) and buyer firm operational efficiency is strengthened as the suppliers' dependence on the buyer firm increases. And finally, the positive association between buyer-supplier relationalism and buyer firm product innovation is weakened as the suppliers' dependence on the buyer firm increases.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to review the existing typologies of buyer-supplier relationships (BSRs) in the literature, to critically assess their dimensions and underlying assumptions, and to propose a more complete BSR typology and future directions for BSR typology research. Design/methodology/approach – This study takes a conceptual approach in highlighting the limitations of existing BSR typologies and synthesizing their key typology-defining variables when proposing an alternative BSR typology. Findings – The proposed BSR typology is based on alternative behavioral assumptions: bounded rationality and choice-determinism, and uses relationalism, supplier dependence and buyer dependence as the typology-defining variables. This BSR typology captures four prominent BSR types in the extant literature (i.e. market/discrete relationship, captive-buyer/supplier-dominant relationship, captive-supplier/buyer-dominant relationship and strategic/bilateral partnership) and four new BSR types developed in this study (i.e. supplier-led collaboration, buyer-led collaboration, competitive/win–lose partnership, and free will/voluntary collaboration). Research limitations/implications – The performance implications of the new BSR types have yet to be empirically tested; however, empirical approaches for future research are discussed. Originality/value – As BSR typology research has been conducted over the years, a thorough review and systematic assessment of the extant research in terms of fundamental assumptions, typology-defining variables, overall progress and limitations becomes an important reflective task in guiding future research efforts toward the collective advancement in this line of inquiry. Departing from the existing literature, this study also uses more realistic BSR assumptions and a more complete set of typology-defining variables in developing an alternative BSR typology, arguably more complete and more theoretically sound than the previous BSR typologies in the literature.

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Accelerating competitive pressures are placing increasing burdens upon business management, particularly in manufacturing enterprises. The typical Western response has been to develop some major new product or process technology. The Japanese responded to the same situation by focusing on organizational structure and processes. While both approaches have merit, the organization resulting from the Japanese approach appears better able to cope with today's environmental dynamics.

Many organizations report problems implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems. These projects often do not meet financial and Jirnctional expectations. While managers often criticize the ERP product and vendor support, the problem may lie elsewhere. In this paper, adaptive structuration theory is used to develop a research framework that is used to analyze the transition from the mainframe legacy system environment to the distributed ERP environment. An exploratoiy case study analysis of a mid-sized university that experienced a failed ERP implementation showed that the failure was not the result of a poor ERP product but rather related to the organization's social structure. The social structure which enabled the mainfEame legacy system to be successfir1 needed to be modiJied for the new ERP system. Findings underscore the importance for managers to facilitate the change management process.