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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend understanding of supplier development theory by investigating the relationships among communication methods, information sharing within a firm, information sharing between firms, and support aimed at supplier development and the effects these relationships have on firm performance.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a random sample of 231 firms are used to test hypothesized relationships by employing structural equation modeling.FindingsThe main findings indicate that traditional communication methods, information sharing within a firm, and information sharing between firms, and supplier development are significant factors for improving a buyer's performance though their indirect and direct effects on firm performance vary.Research limitations/implicationsThe model tested in this study should be reinvestigated by employing better developed measures of advanced communication methods. Furthermore, when investigating the relationship between supplier development and firm performance, future studies should include mode of supplier development approach – reactive versus proactive – as a variable.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provide insights into what makes supplier development activities effective for practitioners.Originality/valueAlthough communication/information sharing has emerged in previously published studies as a critical factor in developing suppliers, an integrated research model that investigates the relationships among communication media, information sharing, supplier development activities, and buying firms' performance has not been offered. This is the gap filled by this study.

The focus of this paper is on purchasing and supplier involvement in the firm. Using the resource‐base view of the firm, hypotheses are developed concerning purchasing/supplier involvement, strategic purchasing and firm's financial performance. A model of the hypothesized relationships is offered and empirically tested using structural equation modeling. The model is tested using data collected in 1999. Each factor in the model is measured by a number of scale items. Based on the results of confirmatory factor analysis, an overall fit of the model to the data is achieved. Both convergent and discriminate validity is demonstrated. The research findings reveal that the hypotheses tested in the model are supported. Purchasing/supplier involvement has a positive impact on strategic purchasing, and strategic purchasing has a positive impact on firm's financial performance. The paper concludes with some research implications, limitations of the study and suggestions for future research.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore a manufacturer's strategy to coordinate efforts of multiple suppliers' involvement in the product development process. The paper also proposes critical factors in determining the appropriate coordination strategy.Design/methodology/approachBased on the synthesis of the literature and relevant theories, a typology of coordination strategies is developed. Propositions are developed pertaining to the performance implications of the coordination strategies and the key determinants of the effectiveness of the coordination strategies.FindingsFour ideal types of coordination strategies are: centralized‐programming, centralized‐feedback, decentralized‐programming, and decentralized‐feedback. Prior research and recently reported industry examples indicate that a manufacturer's coordination with multiple suppliers varies in terms of the information‐processing structure and thelocusof control. The effectiveness of a manufacturer's coordination strategies is influenced by the extent of component modularity, product complexity, technology uncertainty, and the technical capability of suppliers.Practical implicationsThe four coordination strategies involve trade‐offs on certain performance dimensions. Decentralized‐programming promotes process efficiency, while centralized‐feedback facilitates problem solving. Centralized‐programming favors integrative product design, while decentralized‐feedback favors innovation from supplier's technical expertise.Originality/valueWhile research on supplier involvement in product development has primarily focused on a single supplier's integration in the process, this paper extends understanding of multi‐organizational coordination by applying information‐processing decision‐making theories to the product development context.

This empirical research seeks to evaluate purchasing practices in Taiwan based on survey data collected from companies located in that country. A research model is presented and tested using structural equation modeling. The model includes three factors: purchasing risk taking, purchasing knowledge and skills, and strategic purchasing. The research findings indicate that purchasing risk‐taking impacts purchasing knowledge and skills and purchasing knowledge and skills impacts strategic purchasing. Also, the study finds that the relationships among risk taking, purchasing knowledge and skills and strategic purchasing for high performing firms are stronger than for low performing firms.

PurposeWhile most researchers would generally agree that the field of logistics has been maturing over recent decades, this maturation has not yet been empirically established. The purpose of this paper is to assess the maturity of research in the field by measuring author concentration in logistics journals over a sixteen‐year period.Design/methodology/approachResearch propositions of logistics author concentration are first developed from the extant literature. The propositions are then tested by assessing author concentration across 1,796 articles from five scholarly, peer‐reviewed logistics journals from 1992‐2007. The results are compared to similar studies of other academic business disciplines, including accounting, finance, management, and marketing. We also apply regression analysis to the time series data to verify changing author concentration trends.FindingsThe results indicate that logistics publications generally have higher author concentration than other business disciplines, suggesting that logistics research is less expansive and still maturing compared to these other disciplines. However, logistics author concentration has continued to decrease since 1992 relative to schools, countries, degree‐granting schools, and individual authors. This suggests that the field has been expanding and will continue to do so at a consistent pace in the near future.Originality/valueThis paper allows logistics researchers to better understand the recent research history of the field as well as its future research prospects. Additionally, The implication for is presented the international expansion of the field as well as the increasing acceptance of logistics journals by other academic disciplines. In addition, concerns about increased author competition and research proliferation are voiced.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between buyer's emotional intelligence and buyer's relationship performance.Design/methodology/approachA survey methodology was used to collect data for this study. The survey was administered using an assessment process which incorporated "buyers'" and "suppliers'" assessment for the independent variable, emotional intelligence, and the dependent variable, relationship performance. The respondents consisted of 34 buyers and 102 suppliers.FindingsCorrelation and regression analysis revealed several significant relationships between the variables. Specifically, buyers' self‐assessed emotional intelligence was not significantly related to buyers' self‐assessed relationship performance. Buyers' emotional intelligence assessed by suppliers was significantly related to buyers' relationship performance assessed by suppliers. Buyers' emotional intelligence (as assessed by buyers and suppliers' assessment differences) was not significantly related to buyers' self‐assessed relationship performance. Last, buyers' emotional intelligence (as assessed by buyers' and suppliers' assessment differences) was significantly related to buyers' relationship performance (as assessed by buyers' and suppliers' assessment differences). Thus, the results suggest that buyers' emotional intelligence is positively related to relationship performance, most significantly from the perspective of their key suppliers.Originality/valueThis study is the first to introduce emotional intelligence within an environment that consisted of individuals working with others outside of their respective organizations (buyers and suppliers). This research offers some insight to buyers on the implications of emotional intelligence and how it can be used to support their interactions with their key suppliers.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend our understanding of the importance of supplier dependence on the buyer's firm and its relationship to supplier training and supplier involvement in product development with respect to the supplier's performance.Design/methodology/approachA random sample of 231 firms provided the data that were analyzed for this study. Using structural equation modeling, a sub‐set of the sample consisting of 166 manufacturing firms was used to test the five hypothesized relationships in the model.FindingsThe main findings indicate that supplier dependence is a significant contributor to increasing supplier participation in buyer supported training and increasing supplier involvement in product development. Also, supplier training and supplier involvement are significant contributors to the supplier's operational performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe model tested in this study used a random sample of US manufacturing firms. Thus, future studies should include a random sample of non‐manufacturing firms and firms outside of the USA. The study explored the buyer's perspective only; a study of suppliers may provide further insights to extend this study. Although the use of supplier training was relatively low, significant relationships were identified.Practical implicationsBased on this research, key suppliers can better understand the relationships among supplier dependence, supplier training, supplier involvement in product development and their effects on supplier's operational performance.Originality/valueAlthough supplier development has emerged in previously published studies as a critical factor in improving performance, the role of supplier dependence on the buyer has not been empirically examined. Further, an integrated research model that investigates the relationships among supplier dependence, supplier training, supplier involvement in product development and supplier's operational performance has not been offered.