Models of Customer-Supplier Relations

Sinclair, Diane; Hunter, Laurie; Beaumont, P. B.

doi:10.1177/030630709602200204

Cited by 34 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…The relationship between suppliers and clients has been studied extensively in a variety of sectors (Dyer and Nobeoka, 2000;Kinnie et al, 1999;Lamming, 1993;Rainnie, 1989;Sako, 1992;Sinclair et al, 1996). Sako (1992) identified a continuum of relationships between the two extremes of Arm's Length (involving a series of transactions) and Obligation (where a partnership or collaboration is developed).…”

Section: Previous Research and Theoretical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Explaining Employees' Experience of Work in Outsourced Call Centres: The Influence of Clients, Owners and Temporary Work Agencies

Kinnie

Purcell²,

Adams³

2008

Journal of Industrial Relations

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Third party call centres are growing as employers respond to market pressures. However, evidence shows their employees' experience of work is inferior compared to those working for in-house call centres. Drawing on research in two organizations we argue that the differences in employees' experiences can be explained by examining external influences on HR practices. These cases reveal a complex web of relationships involving clients, owners and Temporary Work Agencies. The strategic choice of HR practices is severely constrained by these important external parties and by the labour market making it difficult to develop effective, stable, mutually beneficial employment relationships. The impact of these external influences has implications for employee representation and legal protection in third-party call centres and for future research into the constraints on HR decision-making in these organizations.

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Section: Previous Research and Theoretical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Explaining Employees' Experience of Work in Outsourced Call Centres: The Influence of Clients, Owners and Temporary Work Agencies

Kinnie

Purcell²,

Adams³

2008

Journal of Industrial Relations

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“…Large OEM customers are more likely to initiate the relationship as they are mainly interested in minimizing the risk from single-or dual-sourcing (Sinclair, Hunter, & Beaumont, 1996). These customers use Ftheir purchasing muscle to force their suppliers to adopt certain quality management techniques and practices, as a contractual condition of business_ (Lascelles & Dale, 1989) and customers in some situations force their suppliers to implement forms of suppliercustomer relationship (Zipkin, 1991).…”

Section: Establishing the First Supplier-customer Relationshipmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of supplier-customer relationships by SMEs to enter foreign markets

Bradley

Meyer

Gao

2006

Industrial Marketing Management

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“…The advantages of these interactions for the small-medium supplier are presented most strongly in the relationship marketing literature, which makes frequent (perhaps overly optimistic) use of the marriage analogy to indicate how close and mutually beneficial partnerships can be achieved between suppliers and customer firms (Hakansson, 1982;Gummerson, 1987;Gronroos, 1990Gronroos, , 1994Millman, 1993). Critics have questioned the extent to which customer-supplier relationships can ever lead to genuine 'partnership', whatever the surface rhetoric (Sinclair et al, 1996). This sceptical view of supply chain relationships is also found among food industry specialists.…”

Section: Relationships With the Multiplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It would seem reasonable to assume that certain factors have special significance for the fresh produce sector, given the seasonality and perishability characteristics discussed previously. A review of the wider literature, however, suggests that most of the factors are, perhaps to varying degrees, applicable across other contemporary supply chains (Harland, 1996;Sinclair et al, 1996;Ebers, 1999).…”

Section: Formation Process: Six 'Facilitating' Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring growth in vertical inter‐firm relationships: small‐medium firms supplying multiple food retailers

Blundel

Hingley

2001

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development

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This paper presents new insights into the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engaged in vertical inter-firm relationships. It adopts a processual and resource-based perspective and focuses on the experiences of fresh produce businesses which have achieved high rates of growth while supplying the UK's large multiple food retailers. The context in which these suppliers operate is shown to be a complex and dynamic supply chain, characterised by increasing structural concentration and close vertical linkages. The primary research investigates how certain SMEs have prospered in an apparently 'hostile' environment. It includes a programme of matched-depth interviews, conducted across the retailer-supplier dyad. Content analysis of transcripts reveals six factors which appear to be strongly associated with the formation of 'successful' relationships. In subsequent interactions, securing 'developmental' supplier status appears to open the way to a self-reinforcing cycle of Penrosian learning and reinvestment. This cycle contributes to growth in the supplier firm. The authors argue that, with certain crucial caveats, growth-oriented SMEs can develop mutually beneficial relationships with much larger 'customer' firms. The paper concludes by drawing out wider policy implications and indicating how this contextualised approach might be used in other contexts. Managerial and policy implications The UK's food industry supply chain is now dominated by multiple food retailers who are developing close vertical linkages with their suppliers. At the same time, traditional channels, such as fresh produce wholesale markets, are in decline.  These structural changes, together with the inherent characteristics of their product, have restricted the strategic options available to growth-oriented suppliers.  Some small-medium suppliers are managing to achieve high rates of growth while engaging in supply relationships with much larger 'customer' firms.  Growth in supplier firms is stimulated by a combination of factors. Multiple retailers provide access to progressively larger markets, transfers of knowledge-based resources and strong incentives for cycles of reinvestment and innovation.2  Relationships with large retailers are underpinned by the small-medium suppliers' ability to provide: traceability, a greater motivation to collaborate, the absence of competitive threat and, critically, access to sources of innovation and difference.  The supplier's ability to generate these benefits, together with its ability to resolve sporadic conflict, can foster closer relationships with the larger firm.  Suppliers securing 'developmental' supplier status appear to enter a self-reinforcing cycle of learning and reinvestment that can foster more rapid rates of growth.  A 'defensive' relationship strategy, designed to minimise an SME's perceived dependence and to guard against asset appropriation, may prove counter-productive by limiting progress towards developmental status.

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Models of Customer-Supplier Relations

Abstract: In building relationships, how deeply do customers look into the internal activities of suppliers?

Cited by 34 publications

References 6 publications

Explaining Employees' Experience of Work in Outsourced Call Centres: The Influence of Clients, Owners and Temporary Work Agencies

Explaining Employees' Experience of Work in Outsourced Call Centres: The Influence of Clients, Owners and Temporary Work Agencies

Use of supplier-customer relationships by SMEs to enter foreign markets

Exploring growth in vertical inter‐firm relationships: small‐medium firms supplying multiple food retailers

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