Categorizing the Supplier Content of Public Web Sites

Abstract

Web-based supplier communication and supplier diversity efforts have received little research attention to date. This study identifies the supplier communication and supplier diversity content on the public Web sites of the firms on the 2000 Fortune 500 list and creates a categorization scheme for that content. Just over a quarter (27.1%) of these large firms’ public Web sites mention majority (i.e., primary) supplier issues or supplier diversity. Only 28.4% of Fortune 500 firms with supplier content actually describe a formal supplier diversity program on their public Web site. Therefore, public Web sites are largely underutilized as a means of interacting with potential suppliers from a diverse population. The most common supplier diversity content for prospective suppliers on Fortune 500 public Web sites is: certification requirements, on-line applications, and a contact name/title for the diversity manager.