Research into improving performance of supply chains is a dynamic field. As a result of the unpredictability
of today's economic environment, a growing number of firms are looking for methods of improving performance
indicators and exerting tighter management over their operations. The purchasing process and the buyer-supplier
relationships are two aspects of modern retail supply chains that will be studied in depth, along with the contextual
reasons that have led to their development in this particular cultural setting. The key objectives of this study are
threefold: (1) to find the antecedents associated to each determinant; (2) to define the determinants themselves; and (3) to
offer the conceptual model for this specific setting. This study contributes by developing an applicable conceptual
framework for performance of supply chains for the preponderance of SMEs in China.