Supplier Perspective Research Articles

Basin water ecological compensation interval accounting based on dual perspectives of supply and consumption: Taking Qingyi River Basin as an example

Basin water ecological compensation is an effective means of coordinating environmental protection and economic development and promoting sustainable development. A reasonable compensation interval (the value range of the compensation standard) is the basis for final pricing. At present, the calculation method of the compensation interval has not been unified in the current research, and it is rarely considered comprehensively from the perspective of both parties of compensation. Based on the perspectives of upstream water resources suppliers and downstream water resources consumers, this paper proposes a water ecological compensation interval accounting method based on emergy analysis theory and water ecological footprint method. From the perspective of the supply side, the remaining ecological economic system services value supplied by the upstream area is taken as the lower limit; from the perspective of the consumer side, the value of ecological economic system services actually occupied by downstream areas is taken as the upper limit. Taking the Qingyi River Basin as an example, the results show that there is a serious ecological deficit in the lower reaches of the Qingyi River Basin, and reasonable compensation needs to be given to the supplier Xinzheng City; the accounting method based on dual perspectives is better than traditional. The method is more precise and greatly shortens the value range of the compensation standard. This study provides a novel and complete ecological compensation interval accounting method, which provides a more accurate and reasonable reference for the determination of ecological compensation standards in the basin, and helps the government to improve and implement the ecological compensation mechanism.

Exploring outsourcing service productivity from the buyer and supplier perspective: A case analysis in the fleet maintenance industry

Exploring outsourcing service productivity from the buyer and supplier perspective: A case analysis in the fleet maintenance industry

Embracing change in tandem: resilience and sustainability together transforming supply chains

PurposeThis article investigates how micro-foundations of sustainability can build supply chain resilience (SCRes). Specifically, by defining supply chains as social-ecological systems, this article explores how sustainability as a supplier capability leads to the transformative development of SCRes capabilities.Design/methodology/approachLongitudinal multi-case studies were developed over the first year of the COVID-19 outbreak. A total of 52 interviews were conducted with managers and employees of 12 global supplier firms as well as associated local cooperative and consultancy managers. Secondary data were also used for triangulation. An inductive approach was used for data analysis to elaborate theory through a metaphor.FindingsNine micro-foundations of sustainability were identified and categorised using the dynamic capabilities steps: sensing, seizing and reconfiguring. They were found to move together with the preparing, responding and transforming steps of SCRes, respectively, and thus to perform as dance partners using our dance performance metaphor. Moreover, ten supplier cases were found to be adopting a transformative social-ecological perspective as they performed all key stages of our dance performance metaphor. The transformations all resulted from either institutional or social sustainability, and the associated micro-foundations generated six main SCRes capabilities, most commonly linking visibility and organisation with institutional and social sustainability respectively.Practical implicationsA deeper understanding of sustainability micro-foundations is provided for supply chain managers to enhance the development of SCRes strategies in preparation for future sustainability-related crises.Originality/valueUnlike previous research, this article explores an intertwined understanding of SCRes and sustainability during a crisis. Through the micro-foundations of sustainability we explain how sustainability capability builds transformative SCRes using a supplier perspective.

The Perspective of the Energy Supplier

The Perspective of the Energy Supplier

Stewed Chicken and Long-Nosed Kings: Tasting Troubled Plenty

ABSTRACT This ethnographic article examines conditions of material plenty in post-reform China from the perspective of staff and suppliers at a farm-to-table restaurant in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. From data gathered during mealtime conversations and through everyday reflections on food and flavor, I piece together an historical hypothesis about changing times and tastes in Hangzhou. I find that food talk embodies and reflects my interlocutors’ analysis of a state-superintended post-reform social order, which is undergoing a crisis of “familiarity.” I argue that the sensory qualities of food afford unique access to past experiences in the present, making food a crucial site of political consciousness and critique.

Examining collaborative buyer-supplier relationships and social sustainability in the "new normal" era: the moderating effects of justice and big data analytical intelligence.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a slew of new business practices that have put the society and environment under strain. This has drawn the attention of supply chain researchers working to address the COVID-19 pandemic's looming social sustainability issues. Prior literature has indicated that collaborative relationships improve organizational performance. Over the past years, problems related to justice are reported (e.g., between Walmart Canada and the Lego group), which might negatively affect the buyer-supplier relationship. In the new normal, the effect of justice on collaborative buyer-supplier relationships on social sustainability in the COVID-19 context is obviously essential but under-explored. The current study examines buyer-supplier collaborative relationships' influence on social sustainability under the moderating effect of justice and big data analytical intelligence. In this paper, we employ the stakeholder resource-based view, loose coupling theory, and resource dependency theory as the theoretical lens to establish the research hypotheses. Using primary survey data collected from supply chain practitioners in South Africa, hypothesis testing is done using a covariance-based structural equation modelling technique. To enhance research rigor, we have checked the dyadic perspectives of both buyers and suppliers. Our empirical results reveal that collaborative buyer-supplier relationships positively influence supplier social sustainability in the new normal era. However, it is relatively stronger from the suppliers' perspective when compared with the buyers' perspective. Secondly, the moderating effect of perceptions of organizational justice and big data analytical intelligence on the relationship between collaborative buyer-supplier relationships and supplier social sustainability is also statistically significant. However, it is relatively stronger from the buyers' perspective when compared with the suppliers' perspective. These are major findings of this study. Theoretical and managerial implications are further discussed.

Developments for future EU7 regulations and the path to zero impact emissions – A catalyst substrate and filter supplier's perspective

New EU7 emission standards are currently under development. While the timing and exact level of stringency of these standards is not available, both OEMs and suppliers are preparing to meet significantly reduced tailpipe NOx and particle number standards for both light- and heavy-duty vehicles. We present here some of the emission control systems that are likely to be implemented and details on the advanced component technologies.

3rd Annual International Pharmacoeconomic Forum Highlights.

3rd Annual International Pharmacoeconomic Forum Highlights.

Low Penetration Rate in South African Financial Co-Operatives: Reasons from Supplier Perspective

Background: The Co-operative Financial Institutions sector in South Africa is small compared to many African countries. Despite the important role that financial co-operatives play in poverty reduction and financial inclusion that is recognised by governments globally, no study has been conducted in South Africa in an attempt to find the reason behind this sector very low penetration rate. This study sought to investigate the possible reasons for the low penetration rate in the sector, focusing on supplier perspective. Aim/Purpose: The purpose of the study is to determine the reasons for low penetration rate in South African CFIs from their own perspective, reflecting on their entrepreneurial and innovative actions or strategies. Setting: The study considered all 28 registered CFIs and Co-operative Banks in South Africa. Twenty of them participated in the study. Method: The study used quantitative design to evaluate objective data. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 20 registered CFI representatives around the country. SPSS software was used to analyse data. Results: The study revealed that the low penetration rate in the CFI sector is due to consumer lack of knowledge and awareness about them, their products and their actions. Conclusion: The study concludes that the South African CFI sector needs to adapt and implement a systematic program that will enable them to reach out to more consumers. The findings may also give other stakeholders like the government, a better idea on what they should do to assist the sector.

Heritage interpretation from supply and demand perspectives: the case of culinary heritage workshops in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Interpretation helps visitors understand the value of resources and the need for preservation. Existing interpretation principles focus more on natural and built heritage sites, rather than intangible cultural heritage, such as traditional foodways. Hence, this study examined the interpretation of culinary heritage from the supply side (i.e. heritage owners and tour operators) and demand side (i.e. visitors), and revealed how culinary heritage interpretation differs from that of tangible heritage. First, existing interpretation principles in the literature were categorized and synthesized. Next, Hong Kong was selected as the study site. Observations were conducted on nine culinary heritage workshops in Hong Kong, and thirty heritage owners/operators and workshop participants were interviewed. Findings revealed that ‘culinary’ elements were introduced through a standardized process with value-added activities, whereas ‘heritage’ interpretations were non-standardized. From the perspectives of consumers and suppliers, five themes of effective interpretation were identified respectively. Participants seek interpretations that are personalized by heritage owners, showcase all possible traditions, and enable post-event sharing. Owners/operators design interpretations that facilitate idea exchange and promote innovative revitalization. A new model is proposed for culinary heritage interpretation, which extends the interpretation timeframe to pre-, during, and post-event and highlights the needs and personal involvement of heritage owners.

The relational focus of small and medium sized actors' understandings of supply chain finance (SCF)

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate small and medium-sized upstream suppliers' and downstream distributors' understandings of supply chain finance (SCF) arrangements and their decisions to adopt such schemes.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper grounded theory-informed methods are employed, involving 56 in-depth interviews with informants from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), banks and subject experts in the United Kingdom (UK) and Thailand. A category structure for the data is developed. The findings are then examined systematically from both a transaction cost economics (TCE) and non-TCE perspective.FindingsSME members made sense of SCF through a core distinction between dyadic and triadic SCF arrangements. The former maintains independence between physical and financial supply chains, whereas the latter causes them to be closely coupled or even entangled. The SCF adoption decisions of SMEs were based on a consideration of four related aspects: relationality, awareness, control and context. The authors demonstrate the limits of TCE in explaining the findings, leading to a proposed combined theory of the transactional and, importantly, non-transactional influences on how SMEs make decisions about SCF.Practical implicationsFocal firms wanting their SME suppliers and distributors to participate in triadic SCF (TSCF), i.e. reverse factoring and distributor finance, need to understand that transitioning to such schemes involves the unwinding of existing financing arrangements, which may be problematic for SMEs. Moreover, it is important to be aware of SMEs' concerns, such as about what accessing TSCF might signal to the focal firm about their financial health and about the potential loss of control that might result from entangling the physical and financial aspects of supply chains.Originality/valueThis paper unpack the perspectives of both SME suppliers and distributors of large focal firms in supply chains. These firms appear less concerned with the economic advantages (transaction costs) of SCF and more concerned with the relational consequences or non-transactional costs of participation in a TSCF arrangement. The dyadic-triadic distinction provides a new and meaningful way of categorising SCF mechanisms, which also broadens the service triads’ literature from a focus on outsourcing services for a focal firm's customers to outsourcing financing for its suppliers or distributors. The paper also addresses gaps identified by Gelsomino et al. (2016) regarding the need for a general theory of SCF, for empirically-based holistic studies of SCF applications, and a tool for selecting SCF mechanisms.

How does mandatory CSR reporting affect supply chain? A new perspective from suppliers

AbstractExploiting a quasi‐natural experiment which mandates a subset of Chinese listed firms to report corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, this paper examines how mandatory CSR disclosure affects suppliers' willingness to extend trade credit. We document that mandatory CSR disclosure firms suffer a significant shrinking in the volume of trade credit, which is driven by the supply side instead of the demand side. Further mechanism analyses reveal that both financial condition deterioration and interest conflicts contribute to adverse policy effects. These two factors negatively impact the credit quality of mandatory firms and then weaken credit quality after the mandate subsequently undermines suppliers' willingness to lend. Additionally, the negative association between mandatory CSR disclosure and trade credit is mainly concentrated on highly policy‐exposed corporates, that is, state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) and high‐polluting firms. Our work innovatively evaluates CSR effects from the perspective of suppliers, which provides a new insight into CSR management along the supply chain for academics and practitioners.

Hierarchical multi-objective design of regional integrated energy system under heterogeneous low-carbon policies

Fossil-to-renewable energy system transition is an inevitable future trend considering carbon dioxide emissions mitigation burdens. However, huge investment costs and insufficient policy support are still the two main barriers to further expand renewable energy penetration. To transcend these barriers, from the perspective of both policy makers and energy suppliers, this study simultaneously integrates low-carbon policy formulations and regional integrated energy system (IES) reshaping to achieve an affordable decarbonization pathways. Mixed Integer Quadratically-Constrained Programs (MIQCP) models are constructed, and hierarchical multi-objective optimization is applied to quantify local government's decision-making costs and energy suppliers' system transition costs. A new rural community in Dalian (China) is taken as a case study to capture the relationship among energy structure adjustment, energy system reshaping, and renewable subsidy and carbon tax adjustment under different CO2 emission reduction regulations. The result shows that under the same CO2 emission reduction rate, portfolio policies can benefit both the policy maker and the energy supplier by balancing the local government revenue and expenditure, and reducing the annual total costs of IES. In addition, via IESs optimization, a higher renewable energy penetration rate could be obtained and the energy supplier could achieve a competitive cost within 40% CO2 emission reduction targets.

SWOT analysis of influenza vaccination promotion of primary care staff based on the perspective of the supplier, customer, and management

Objective: To analyze the situation of influenza vaccination among primary healthcare workers, find out the problems, and explore the strategies and measures to promote influenza vaccination among grass-roots medical staff. Methods: From April to May 2021, key insider interviews and literature research were carried out based on the perspectives of influenza vaccine suppliers (influenza vaccine manufacturers), consumers (primary medical institutions and primary healthcare workers), and managers (governments at all levels, health administrative departments and disease prevention and control departments). The SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis technique was used to comprehensively evaluate the current situation of influenza vaccination among grass-roots healthcare workers, and a SWOT analysis matrix was established. Results: Influenza vaccination of grass-roots healthcare workers have advantages and opportunities, including primary medical and health institutions' vital influenza vaccination accessibility, influenza vaccine safety is higher, COVID-19 outbreak improves the public awareness of respiratory infectious diseases and vaccine production enthusiasm, coronavirus vaccination has strengthened the capacity of the vaccine distribution system. There are also disadvantages and threats such as the high price of influenza vaccine, insufficient supply, low awareness of influenza vaccine vaccination among grass-roots healthcare workers, lack of demand assessment mechanism on influenza vaccine, poor vaccine deployment, structural imbalance in vaccine supply in different areas, and severe vaccine waste. SWOT analysis matrix of the influenza vaccination status of grass-roots healthcare workers was established, forming dominant opportunity (SO) strategy, dominant threat (ST) strategy, inferior opportunity (WO) strategy, and inferior threat (WT) strategy. Conclusion: Measures should be taken by the supplier, the demand-side, and the management side to improve the influenza vaccine coverage rate of primary healthcare workers, but the emphasis should be on the coordination and management of the management side.

Role and perspective of suppliers in brand co-creation: an exploratory study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to find supplier's role in brand co-creation. This paper also discusses the perspective of suppliers on the role and benefits of other stakeholders like consumers and the sponsoring organization in brand co-creation and to come up with some concepts and constructs related to these.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach has been used to identify supplier roles. Depth interviews were conducted on 15 selected suppliers from India already participated in brand co-creation. Grounded theory method was used to code and analyze the data and come up with important themes.FindingsThe grounded theory findings showed that suppliers need to have certain features like professionalism, willingness to invest in research and development (R&D) and flexible attitude in order to participate in brand co-creation. In turn, suppliers are benefited from participating in such an event as it improves their performance, growth and offerings. The depth interview findings also showed the reasons for successful and failed brand co-creation and the informant suppliers' view on the roles consumers and organization play in band co-creation and the benefits they receive.Originality/valueThis is one of the first academic studies of identifying supplier's role in brand co-creation looking beyond consumers and organization. There is no qualitative and quantitative study that was conducted to find out supplier's role. The paper conceptualizes important concepts related to supplier's features, roles and benefits in brand co-creation.

Retail power in distribution channels: A double‐edged sword for upstream suppliers

In distribution channels, the growing popularity of downstream retailers is a cause of both delight and despair for their upstream suppliers. While such retailers can generate more sales for the suppliers, they may also have higher leverage during any bargaining. This paper uses an analytical model to explore how a supplier's preference about the structure of her retail distribution channel is shaped by (1) the level of substitutability between the end products sold by the retailers, (2) the correlation between the popularity of the retailers and their bargaining power, and (3) the intensity of competition from other channels. In our base model, a monopolist supplier sells two substitutable products to two retailers who then sell to end customers. The two retailers are asymmetric in their ability to attract customers and their bargaining power during any contract negotiation with the supplier is proportional to that attraction potential. Analysis of the model and its extension reveals a number of robust insights, irrespective of whether the negotiation between the channel partners is about profit allocation or about wholesale price. First, an ideal situation for the supplier is that less asymmetric retailers sell differentiated products while more asymmetric ones sell similar products. That is, a supplier whose products are quite substitutable should not be too concerned about a dominant retail partner, but one selling differentiated products should be worried. Second, a stronger correlation between the retailers' popularity and their bargaining power makes the retail structure with less asymmetric retailers preferable from the supplier's perspective. Finally, the presence of competing channels selling substitutable variants significantly impacts the supplier's preference about its own channel structure, and a high level of channel competition reverses some of the above findings.

Public procurement for innovation through supplier firms' sustainability lens: A systematic review and research agenda

AbstractPublic sector purchasing processes are gaining increasing prominence as a demand‐side innovation tool for addressing national sustainability challenges. Accordingly, there has been growing research attention to this topic. Prior studies suggest three key rationales that underlie the use of public sector procurement to drive innovation: (i) the buyer–user rationale (for creating new needs); (ii) the market/system failure rationale (for improving suppliers' capacity to innovate); and (iii) the public services rationale (for improving public services). However, operational activities at the upstream supply chain affecting the sustainable innovation capacities of supplier firms appear to be under‐researched in the public procurement for innovation (PPI) scholarship, despite knowledge about innovation capacity being critical to successfully implementing PPI. This paper adopts a systematic literature review approach to synthesise existing fragmented literature on sustainability‐oriented PPI, focusing on supplier perspectives. Findings from a synthesis of 41 relevant articles suggest, among others conditions, that a procurement framework that maintains a good balance of competition and innovation, builds buyer–supplier relationship and urges strong supply networks, maintains a stable political commitment, offers security for niche markets with effective innovation risk management culture would enhance suppliers' sustainability capacity and propensity to innovate. This paper contributes to the PPI literature and the literature on determinants of sustainable innovation systems from supplier firms' sustainability lens.

COMPLAINTS AS SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS SERVICES OF CO-CREATION VALUE

Complaints are, nowadays, a pressing and topical issue in the management of organizations. The purpose of this paper is investigate the complaints in a ecosystem approach to understanding the impact of the relationships, A4A, in the interconnected territories of collaborative strategy. Complaints are potential constructs that promote opportunities of co-created value. Complaints are the engine to make grow any responsible organization and to include actors to generate collaborative value constructed. With the proliferation of the use of new communicational tools, especially in social networks, in this new pandemic context, the role of the client is not limited to just being an actor. They are required to be a dynamic actor, to play an active and constructive role, to be a true co-creator of value, a promoter of new visions and an innovator of new practices in the service context as a systemic network. The relationships constellations A4A, the experiences, and the emotions involve value cocreation and collaborative strategy. Envision a new approach on people centricity (actor, client, stakeholder and supplier) perspective and not on the supplier's perspective by having the actor intervene in all phases of the relationship with the ecosystem. The topic is sustained by theoretical analysis and conceptual development of complaints and co-creation value supported by the S-D Logic (SDL) and Viable System Approach (VSA), Service Experience, Service ecosystem and Service interactions. One of the limitations of this study results from the lack of practical applicability in a service experience context, which surely would have been very relevant for us to obtain core inferences regarding the inclusion of complaints in an A4A management system. Future empirical research to open new strategic position of organizations in order to promote innovation and to maximize value co-creation in an ecosystem service.

What's in it for me? The occurrence of supplier innovation contribution in the context of supplier-dominant innovation: The supplier's perspective

Prior studies have pointed out the pivotal role supplier innovation contribution plays in supporting buyers' product innovation. Many studies focus on situations where the buyer occupies a dominant position; they posit that the dominant buyer can secure supplier innovation resources through collaborative relationships. However, the buyer may lose the privilege to mobilize supplier innovation contribution in the supplier-dominant innovation context. The issue of why the “dominant” supplier attempts to contribute innovation resources is less extensively explored. To fill this gap, this study examines the issue from the viewpoint of the supplier as the provider of innovation contributions. A survey of 358 paired firms in China indicates that black-box supplier involvement can induce supplier innovation contribute, only if the supplier has perceived relationship benefits. Moreover, the relationship between relationship benefits and supplier innovation contribution becomes stronger as renqing, xinyong, or supplier innovation value increase, but becomes weaker as ganqing or mianzi increase. This study provides practical guidance to buying firms regarding how they can mobilize the dominant supplier's innovation resources more effectively.

Public procurement as an attractive customer: a supplier perspective

PurposeBuyer–supplier relationships in public procurement have garnered increasing attention in research, yet studies on the perspective of suppliers on public procurement have remained limited. This research takes the perspective of suppliers and aims to investigate the innovativeness of suppliers and the impact of supply chain ambidexterity strategies on their perceptions about public procurement in terms of innovation enablers and customer attractiveness.Design/methodology/approachThis research draws from a survey of 137 suppliers to the public sector in Finland and applies PLS-path modeling to test its hypotheses.FindingsThe findings reveal that the ambidexterity strategy of suppliers in the supply chain influences how they perceive the innovation enablers and customer attractiveness of public organizations since processes of public procurement do not support these strategies fully. Supplier innovativeness has an influence on the perceived innovation enablers of public procurement, which, in turn, influences customer attractiveness.Practical implicationsThe innovativeness and strategies of suppliers for the supply chain have an impact on how attractive they perceive public procurement. The findings of this research provide insights on why the customer attractiveness of public procurement may not be high enough to secure the competition in their bidding processes.Originality/valueThe study’s contribution adds to the field of buyer–supplier relationships and customer attractiveness in public procurement by showing the importance of innovation enablers and highlighting the impact of supplier's ambidexterity in the supply chain on their perceptions about public procurement.