Developing a Methodology for Aligning Supply Chains from a Relationships Perspective

Abstract

The research presented in this paper has focussed on exploring buyer—supplier relationships from a human perspective. The research has been successful in exploring issues affecting buyer—supplier relationships. A methodology for aligning supply chains by taking into account human issues has been proposed. The methodology consists of a relationship framework that is used for studying buyer—supplier relationships on a macro-level based on the levels of satisfaction that the entities have with each other. Since high levels of dissatisfaction lead to various change—inducing transactions or game-like behaviour between the entities, the framework identifies the status of the relationship, and can be used to gauge what is going to happen to it, once the transaction is over. The concepts of transactional analysis and the tools associated with it, namely drama triangle analysis and structural modelling, are useful in studying the dynamics of the transactions from the human perspective and also from a psychological perspective.