The paper begins with an overview of some of the forces that have shaped supply chain management and partnership relationships. Next the potential benefits and risks of involvement in supply chain management/partnership relationships are discussed from the perspective of both the shipper and the...

Purpose – To develop and propose a framework, termed here as the value package prism, for assessing the kinds of management processes and flexibility available in providing a range of value packages (services and goods offering mix). Design/methodology/approach – The literature is examined...

Many firms have experienced significant benefits from engaging in supplier alliances. However, alliance relationships do not evolve in isolation. Support factors for supplier alliances include purchasing’s accountability for their actions, the use of information technology, the perceived...

Purchasing organizations are exposed to risk in their interactions with suppliers, whether it is recognized and managed, addressed in a cursory manner, or altogether ignored. In order to understand the supply risk that exists, purchasing organizations can proactively assess the probability and...

Purpose – The primary purposes of this paper are to add support to the existing three‐dimensional concurrent engineering (3DCE) theoretical framework and to identify issues that currently hinder the adoption of 3DCE. Design/methodology/approach – While 3DCE has been suggested as a way to...

International purchasing partnerships are becoming an increasingly common and attractive way to procure goods and services in the global marketplace. Yet these complex relationships may require special effort and attention in order to be successful. A review of the relevant literature and case...