Vendor Relationships Research Articles

Leadership in Crisis: Navigating the Challenges of COVID-19

Abstract—The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to global industries, with the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) sector being significantly impacted due to lock- downs, supply chain disruptions, and workforce safety concerns. This paper examines how a leading CPG manufacturer navigated the crisis, highlighting the leadership strategies and operational adjustments employed to sustain production, ensure employee safety, and maintain market presence. Key areas of focus in- clude the implementation of automation, establishment of robust quarantine protocols, adoption of flexible work schedules, and incentivization of front-line employees. Additionally, the paper explores the complexities of managing supply chains and vendor relationships during the pandemic and illustrates how, while many competitors were forced to shut down or faced shortages due to inadequate preparedness and inability to adapt safety protocols, the manufacturer remained operational by swiftly reacting to the evolving situation, resulting in increased sales. Drawing on this case study, the paper provides actionable steps for organizations to prepare for future similar scenarios, emphasizing the importance of resilience and proactive leadership in crisis management. Index Terms—Leadership, Crisis Management, COVID-19, CPG Industry, Automation, Supply Chain Resilience, Employee Incentives, Flexible Work Schedules, Food Manufacturing, Or- ganizational Resilience

12420 Effects Of A Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Optimization Program On Prescribing Behavior And Glycemic Outcomes

Abstract Disclosure: A. Sterbenz: None. J. Fuentes Rosales: None. S. Abraham: None. P. Siroya: None. R. Middelbeek: None. J. Mitri: None. F. Rossitto: None. E. Cabana: None. A. Gharse: None. L. Collins: None. L. Aliaga: None. A. Millan Ferro: None. J. Cifuni: None. A. Schwartz: None. E. Kelley: None. C. Gomez: None. M. Aballay: None. Introduction: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) improves glucose control in patients with diabetes, as demonstrated in clinical trials. There is limited information available on the real-world application of CGM adoption in a resource-limited setting or safety net outpatient hospital setting. This intervention's aim was to assess the impact of a multifaceted approach on improving CGM utilization and on glycemic control among patients with diabetes. Methods: Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, located in Brooklyn, NY is a resource-limited setting that in partnership with the Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA launched a CGM Clinical Care Optimization Program. This quality improvement (QI) initiative included establishing a diabetes technology team (DTT) which met weekly (n=24 sessions) to establish a highly specialized interprofessional group. The DTT activities included: 1) Establishing a CGM workflow; 2) Expanding Medical Assistant responsibilities related to diabetes technology and training; 3) Creating five bilingual (English-Spanish) patient handouts; 4) Building CGM vendor relationships; 5) Developing a CGM manual for data download, billing and coding, and education to increase CGM knowledge across the system. Data were collected prior to CGM initiation and at most recent visit. Results: The intervention occurred between February and November 2023. Prior to this intervention, 49 patients had a CGM prescription. After 9 months, CGM prescriptions were written for 333 patients (680% increase) with the following baseline characteristics (mean ± SD): age (61.2 ± 14.7 yrs.); 56% female; 44% male; 71% Latino; Race: 67% Other (63% Hispanic or Latino), 25% Black or African American, 4% White, Asian 2%, American Indian or Alaska Native 2%; 38% Spanish-speaking, 59% English-Speaking, 3% Other; 81% government insurance (63% Medicaid, 18% Medicare), 19% commercial insurance. The majority of patients had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (91%) and 9% had type 1 diabetes. Baseline HbA1C was 9.7 ± 1.5%. Of note, prior to CGM, 34% of patients had A1C>9%. The impact of CGM use was evaluated on 116 patients that met the following criteria: baseline A1C value within 60 days before or up-to 30 days after prescription, and a A1C >90 days after. After an average duration of 154 days of CGM use, HbA1c decreased significantly by -0.51% (p=0.001), demonstrating improved glycemic control post-CGM use. In those with A1c >9%, HbA1c decreased from 10.5% to 8.8% (p<0.01). Conclusion: Creating a CGM optimization program in a resource-limited setting is critical in improving patient self-awareness and provider insight in glycemic control in patients diagnosed with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. These data demonstrate the feasibility of implementing a CGM optimization program in a resource-limited setting, which is critically important in improving clinical care for people with diabetes. Presentation: 6/2/2024

A guide to evaluating AI vendors: Key questions to mitigate security risks

The proliferation of Generative AI (GenAI) marketing claims has thrust businesses into high-stakes decisions amid evolving societal attitudes towards emerging technologies. Exercising caution is paramount, however, given the prevalence of forward-looking assertions by nascent artificial intelligence (AI) vendors regarding future capabilities. This paper advocates for a pragmatic approach, underscoring the significance of tackling immediate safety concerns while manoeuvring through the realm of AI solutions. With insights gleaned from over five decades of AI evolution, the paper highlights the cyclical nature of AI’s allure and underscores the importance of drawing lessons from past cycles. It champions a methodical assessment of risks associated with adopting generative AI solutions, stressing the imperatives of transparency and accountability. A pivotal suggestion is to demand tailored AI solutions from vendors, ensuring that AI frameworks prioritise the welfare of data proprietors. The paper cautions against vendors putting their own interests before those of their clientele, urging readers to pose probing inquiries before committing to AI deployments. Ultimately, the paper endeavours to arm readers with the acumen and tools necessary to navigate the intricacies of AI vendor relationships. By furnishing actionable guidance on recognising and mitigating AI vendor risks, it endeavours to embolden businesses to innovate judiciously in the ever-evolving AI landscape.

Study of Supply Chain Performance in Food Processing Unit

Abstract: This study investigates the performance of the supply chain within a food processing unit, aiming to identify key factors influencing its efficiency and effectiveness. A survey questionnaire was employed to gather insights from employees across different levels in the chain of procurement, manufacturing, distribution, and operations. The questionnaire was designed to different features of SCM, such as management of inventory, vendor relationships, transportation efficiency, and overall operational performance. The findings of the study highlight several crucial factors affecting the supply chain performance in the food processing unit. Firstly, the analysis reveals the significance of effective inventory management practices in reducing stockouts, minimizing holding costs, and improving order fulfilment rates. Secondly, the study emphasizes the importance of establishing strong and collaborative relationships with vendors to guarantee on-time delivery of material required, as well as mitigates risks associated with supply disruptions

Evolving Client–Vendor Relationship: As Manifested Through an Artificial Intelligence Research Unit of an Indian IT Organization

The Indian information technology (IT) sector is traditionally known for delivering IT and business process management (BPM) services to clients across the globe. To ensure the longevity of this client and service provider relationship, Indian IT organizations have made significant client-specific investments and actively engaged them in offshore development activities. One of the outcomes from such investments can be seen in terms of the very high maturity standards that Indian IT organizations currently exhibit in the context of IT–BPM service delivery. In recent times, these organizations are also undertaking offshore projects around emerging technologies. Such projects, especially those related to artificial intelligence (AI), are largely centred around the automation of client-focused BPM services. Given their relative nascency, such projects are primarily led by the AI research units that are rapidly diffusing across Indian IT organizations. In this study, we rely on a four-month-long ethnography to explore a client and vendor (or service-provider) relationship as manifested through one such AI research unit of an Indian IT organization situated in Bengaluru, India. Our objective from this study is to understand how these new offshore AI projects affect the longevity of the relationship between clients and the Indian IT service providers. Given the nature of emerging technology workflows, our findings indicate a tilt more towards meeting client-side expectations than that of vendors in these projects. We portend that this can potentially disrupt the longevity of the client–vendor relationship in the Indian IT services sector, and, therefore, both the clients and vendors must attend to the peculiarities of offshore emerging technology projects to mitigate such disruptions.

The Impact of CSR on Supply Chain Management in Enterprises

Corporate social responsibility (csr) adoption is gaining increasing prominence as a strategic imperative for enterprises seeking to drive transparency, collaboration, and sustainability through their supply chains due to its perceived importance. This paper undertakes a qualitative analysis of peer-reviewed academic literature and industry reports to examine the linkages between measurable csr policies. This helps in deducing means for supply managers to control ethical sourcing, supplier codes of conduct, and social audits and resultant performance improvements across interconnected supply chain entities due to followership of acceptable socially conscious activities. Henceforth, the analysis provides a valid view that integrative csr priorities propagate positive transformations. The transformation refers to improved vendor relationships, logistics, and distribution networks. Those are achieved through enhancing climate resilience, reducing risks, and enabling cost efficiencies. The csr actions, however, need to be structured by mechanisms around supplier capability building, compliance enforcement, and monitoring systems, which are uncovered as vital framing elements allowing csr commitments. However, equitable integration frameworks across entities with varying maturity levels require additional investigation.

Vendor and Business Relationship Management in High-Stakes Technological Environments

In high-stakes technological environments, where the stakes involve critical operations, data security, and compliance with complex regulations, the management of vendor and business relationships becomes a pivotal factor in ensuring success and sustainability. This paper delves into the intricate dynamics of vendor and business relationship management within these high-stakes contexts, focusing on industries such as healthcare, finance, defense, and large-scale technology projects. The study examines the multifaceted challenges that organizations face, including rapid technological advancements, cybersecurity threats, regulatory pressures, and the constant demand for innovation. These challenges often strain vendor relationships, requiring businesses to adopt more sophisticated and proactive management strategies. Through a comprehensive analysis of theoretical frameworks like Transaction Cost Economics and Resource Dependence Theory, the paper explores how these models can be applied to understand and improve vendor relationship management in technologically intensive sectors. Additionally, the research incorporates case studies from various industries to illustrate the practical implications of these relationships and the outcomes of both successful and unsuccessful management strategies. The case studies reveal that organizations which prioritize transparent communication, trust, and continuous improvement in their vendor relationships tend to achieve better outcomes, including enhanced innovation, risk mitigation, and compliance with industry regulations.

Trust, distrust, and open‐book accounting in three client‐vendor relationships

AbstractExtant management accounting research has conceptualized the interplay between trust, distrust, and open‐book accounting (OBA) as a relationship‐level phenomenon, largely ignoring that inter‐organizational relationships are often complex entities that comprise multiple arenas of exchange where (dis)trust and OBA can interact in different—and potentially contradictory—ways. To address this theoretical oversight, we draw on relational exchange theory to propose that (dis)trust largely forms within OBA domains where different forms of data are exchanged for different purposes. Trust and distrust may thereby coexist within a relationship. We also propose that (dis)trust spills over to influence the conditions for OBA in other domains. Consequently, trust and distrust not only take shape in cumulative processes within OBA domains but also diffuse between domains in a relationship. Empirical observations from a longitudinal case study of a retail buyer's attempts to introduce OBA in three vendor relationships lead us to suggest that competence‐trust spillover is determined largely by domain similarity, while goodwill‐trust spillover relies to a greater extent on staff mobility between OBA domains. Overall, the negative effects of distrust spillover on the implementation of OBA appear greater than the positive effects of trust spillover. Our study shows that, by analyzing the domain‐specific nature of trust and distrust, future research can increase our understanding of the relationship between data characteristics and (dis)trust, as well as explain how trust and distrust interact to determine conditions for data exchange between organizations.

Diversity Evaluation and Vendor Communication: The Effect on a Collection and Vendor Relationships

Diversity Evaluation and Vendor Communication: The Effect on a Collection and Vendor Relationships

Revisiting Ethical Selection of Enteral and Infant Formula: Demonstrating Evidence-Based Practice and a Responsible Vendor Relationship.

Revisiting Ethical Selection of Enteral and Infant Formula: Demonstrating Evidence-Based Practice and a Responsible Vendor Relationship.

Access Control Management System for Edge Computing Environment Using Tag‐Based Matching and Cache Injection

With increasing attention to the secondary use of data, privacy protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) have come into force to protect residents from unauthorized exploitation of personal data. Flow management is an effective method to track the distribution of user data in a multi‐domain network environment. Transparency in the relationship between data and service providers is essential to track the status of data provision. Vendor and Consumer Relationship Management (VCRM) manages this relationship by regulating relevant flow information. VCRM is expected to collaborate with the edge‐computing environment in the management of regional unit flow, wherein all access to personal user data should be restricted in accordance with the stakeholders' requests. Accordingly, this study proposes a packet processing function that collaborates with VCRM to manage the access control of flows passing through a regional network. Moreover, this paper proposes methods to reduce packet processing time on the switch, and requests to the switch controller. Using tag‐based matching and cache injection methods, the number of requests to the controller decreased to 33.4% of the original figure. Our proposed method also reduces the total processing time on flow management switches in the network environment in the analysis of encrypted TCP streams such as HTTP over TLS and MQTT over TLS. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Managing appropriation concerns and coordination costs in complex vendor relationships: Integration and isolation as governance strategies

Many studies have shown that the inter-organizational governance mechanisms required to manage appropriation concerns come into conflict with the mechanisms needed to manage coordination costs. Research has, however, largely left unanswered the question of how client organizations govern complex vendor relationships that involve multiple categories, transactions, and activities where appropriation concerns and coordination costs must be managed simultaneously. We propose that this may be achieved by utilizing two strategies; while integrating some activities, transactions and categories, others can be isolated. Drawing on 23 interviews as well as procedural documents associated with vendor management, this study examines how a leading automotive manufacturer governs relationships with three vendors. The analysis reveals how corporate and operational-level staff combine formal and informal governance mechanisms as they pursue integration and isolation strategies, enabling the client organization to maintain and develop long-term complex relationships. Our findings lead us to question a tendency in the literature to regard isolation as negative and integration as an ideal strategy for managing long-term relationships. Only when utilized in tandem will isolation and integration strategies enable organizations to align the conflicting governance mechanisms required to manage appropriation concerns and coordination costs.

Backsourcing of IT with focus on software development—A systematic literature review

Context:Backsourcing is the process of insourcing previously outsourced activities. Backsourcing can be a viable alternative when companies experience environmental or strategic changes, or challenges with outsourcing. While outsourcing and related processes have been extensively studied, few studies report experiences with backsourcing. Objectives:We summarize the results of the research literature on backsourcing of IT, with a focus on software development. By identifying practically relevant experience, we present findings that may help companies considering backsourcing. In addition, we identify gaps in the current research literature and point out areas for future work. Method:Our systematic literature review (SLR) started with a search for empirical studies on the backsourcing of IT. From each study, we identified the context in which backsourcing occurred, the factors leading to the decision, the backsourcing process, and the outcomes of backsourcing. We employed inductive coding to extract textual data from the papers and qualitative cross-case analysis to synthesize the evidence. Results:We identified 17 papers that reported 26 cases of backsourcing, six of which were related to software development. The cases came from a variety of contexts. The most common reasons for backsourcing were improving quality, reducing costs, and regaining control of outsourced activities. We model the backsourcing process as containing five sub-processes: change management, vendor relationship management, competence building, organizational build-up, and transfer of ownership. We identified 14 positive outcomes and nine negative outcomes of backsourcing. We also aggregated the evidence and detailed three relationships of potential use to companies considering backsourcing. Finally, we have highlighted the knowledge areas of software engineering associated with the backsourcing of software development. Conclusion:The backsourcing of IT is a complex process; its implementation depends on the prior outsourcing relationship and other contextual factors. Our systematic literature review contributes to a better understanding of this process by identifying its components and their relationships based on the peer-reviewed literature. Our results can serve as a motivation and baseline for further research on backsourcing and provide guidelines and process fragments from which practitioners can benefit when they engage in backsourcing.

Securing Financial Information in the Digital Realm: Case Studies in Cybersecurity for Accounting Data Protection

Securing financial information, especially accounting, is essential in the digital world. This article explores organizations' challenges in protecting accounting data from evolving cyber threats. By sharing real-life case studies and industry research, we offer suggestions to enhance the security of accounting information. These recommendations include adopting cybersecurity frameworks implementing technical defenses like endpoint protection and network segmentation, following secure coding practices prioritizing user awareness and training, creating incident response and business continuity plans, regularly conducting vulnerability assessments and monitoring, maintaining strong vendor relationships, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and standards. By implementing these suggestions, accounting professionals and organizations can strengthen cybersecurity measures. Effectively protect valuable financial data from the ever-growing threat landscape. Taking an approach that combines technical measures, user awareness, incident preparedness, and regulatory compliance is crucial when navigating the digital landscape with confidence and resilience.

President’s Message

As I write this message, the AVA Board has just completed its annual retreat. It was good to be together for this planning session. Feeling that we needed to be good examples, all board members did COVID testing before they arrived. Unfortunately, one of our board members could not join us due to a positive test, and one joined virtually due to an injury. It was a packed meeting that I am excited to tell you about in my first message.In the fall of 2022, we sent out a survey to get stakeholder input on our Strategic Plan (SP) review. We received responses from members, non-members, network leaders, network members, and manufacturers. Thank you to everyone who responded. The survey results provided input on Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses, and Strengths. The findings were organized into affinity groups and reviewed by the board at our retreat. It is incredible how similar the input from disparate groups is. Those areas of alignment of thought provide us with such valuable insight.After reviewing the results, the board identified key themes. Our strategic challenges began with how the profession, association, and membership are undervalued. Communication, marketing/branding, relationships with other organizations, financial support for initiatives, data/research, and network issues were also on the list of challenges.Our strategic opportunities include mentoring, public/patient representation, engaging our student members, making Vascular Access Specialty Day a nationally recognized day, serving students and novice inserters, professional development, research, and identifying social media possibilities. In addition, our strategic advantages include the AVA scientific meeting, passion for vessel preservation, vendor relationships, our distinctive interdisciplinary membership, education, and networking. We want to build on our advantages, take advantage of our opportunities and address our challenges to ensure that AVA continues to be your premier resource and partner as you work to preserve vessel health.We then reviewed our mission statement and determined that it did not adequately reflect the “what, how, and why” of what we do at AVA. So, together we developed and approved a new mission statement that we believe better represents us. However, our vision and tagline will remain unchanged.The board then reviewed our current SP to determine if action items needed modifying to stay on course. We found that our current plan is on target for the most part. We made minor changes to reflect the excellent stakeholder input you gave us. Additional information will be provided in our multiple communication channels throughout the year.As you know, our CEO position has been vacant for a few months. The board has spent considerable time determining our best road forward, as we know that CEO turnover has been a chronic issue. It came up several times in our survey results, which confirmed that it is an issue that also concerns our membership. After research and consideration by a board task force, a recommendation was made to engage an Association Management Company. Request-for-Proposals were sent out, and the responses were analyzed for the best fit for AVA.After carefully considering the proposals and interviews, the board selected Talley Management Group (TMG). They manage 35 associations, primarily in the healthcare space. TMG has over 35 years of association management experience and includes clients who have been with their company from the beginning. In addition, they are an employee-owned company, which we felt was an advantage. Talley also provides us with staff and services that we currently must outsource. We are excited to begin working with them to implement our strategic plan and help us move AVA forward.In our negotiations with TMG, we stipulated that we wanted Tonya Hutchison, Judy Thompson, and Blake Hotchkiss to be retained by Talley and continue to serve AVA as they have in the past. We anticipate that TMG will provide them valuable support in their roles and help AVA become an even stronger organization. We appreciate the work Kayce Maisel and Jennifer Finlayson have done for AVA and wish them well as they move toward their new endeavors.I expect 2023 to be a great year, packed with education, continued work on the Clinical Practice Guidelines, the continual rollout of the Fundamentals of Peripheral IV (PIV) Access curriculum, and another tremendous in-person conference in Portland, Oregon, this October.

Development of an integrative model for electronic vendor relationship management for improving technological innovation, social change and sustainability performance

Vendor relationship management (VRM) is a software tool that helps to provide seamless connectivity between buyer and supplier. With the rapid development of information and communication technology (ICT) most firms have migrated to electronic VRM (EVRM) capability. Only a few studies have examined how EVRM can impact the dynamic B2B capability of firms that combine technological and social innovation in support of transitions and the achievement of business goals. There are also very few interdisciplinary studies using a range of performance matrices to explore the relationship between firms' dynamic B2B capabilities and their sustainability performance, mediated through their various sustainable growth opportunities. In this context, this study aims to develop an integrative model for B2B EVRM capability and firm sustainability. With the help of dynamic capability view (DCV) theory and related literature, a theoretical model is proposed. This model was later validated using the covariance-based structural equation modeling technique (CB-SEM), in considering 378 responses from Indian firms. The study has three main findings. First, EVRM capability significantly and positively impacts B2B dynamic relationship capability between the firm and the vendors. Second, B2B dynamic relationship management capability has a significant and positive impact on firms' sustainability performance mediated through the financial, environmental, and operational performance of the firm. And third, Environmental dynamism (ED) plays a significant role as a moderator, influencing B2B dynamic relationship management capability.

How to Strengthen Vendor Relationships

Special Events GaloreVolume 22, Issue 12 p. 6-6 Working With Vendors How to Strengthen Vendor Relationships First published: 09 November 2022 https://doi.org/10.1002/speg.31887Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume22, Issue12December 2022Pages 6-6 RelatedInformation

Normalising practice – moving a technological implementation from project phase to operational phase


 
 
 It is widely acknowledged that successful implementation of new technologies relies on a project-based institutional approach with a dedicated and motivated project team to champion the technology and support professional development. One challenge that arises following project-style implementations is how to transition support structures and project drivers to 'normalisation' phase where technologies are seen as 'business-as-usual'. Griffith University’s PebblePad implementation project team deliberately planned an end-of-project to business-as- usual transition. This planning involved; embedding PebblePad in the institution’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE); setting up ongoing scalable support structures; and ensuing there were suitable institutional partnerships to sustain the diffusion of the institutional adoption. Griffith’s implementation project was led by the central learning & teaching unit (Learning Futures) and relied heavily on buy-in and support from many institutional stakeholders. Therefore it was essential that stakeholder teams were empowered to maintain the existing users and continue to look for opportunities for targeted and meaningful implementation. Similarly, Learning Futures had to find staffing capacity to continue to support PebblePad as a technology within the VLE. This ongoing work involves maintaining vendor relationships, providing ongoing professional development and continuing to be a centralised point for managing internal and external communications between stakeholders.
 
 

Beyond COVID-19 and lessons learned in the United States.

The COVID‐19 pandemic severely tested the resilience of the US blood supply with wild fluctuations in blood donation and utilisation rates as community donation opportunities ebbed and hospitals post‐poned elective surgery. Key stakeholders in transfusion services, blood centres, supply chains and manufacturers reviewed their experiences during the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic as well as available literature to describe successes, opportunities for improvement and lessons learned. The blood community found itself in uncharted territory responding to restriction of its access to donors (approximately 20% decrease) and some supplies; environmental adjustments to address staff and donor concerns about coronavirus transmission; and the development of a new product (COVID‐19 convalescent plasma [CCP]). In assuring that the needs of the patients were paramount, the donation process was safe, that clinicians had access to CCP, and vendor relationships aligned, the blood banking community relearned its primary focus: improving patient outcomes.

A Commentary on the Healthy Community Stores Case Study Project: Implications for Retailers, Policy, and Future Research.

In the United States, low-income, underserved rural and urban settings experience poor access to healthy, affordable food. Introducing new food outlets in these locations has shown mixed results for improving healthy food consumption. The Healthy Community Stores Case Study Project (HCSCSP) explored an alternative strategy: supporting mission-driven, locally owned, healthy community food stores to improve healthy food access. The HCSCSP used a multiple case study approach, and conducted a cross-case analysis of seven urban healthy food stores across the United States. The main purpose of this commentary paper is to summarize the main practice strategies for stores as well as future directions for researchers and policy-makers based on results from the prior cross-case analyses. We organize these strategies using key concepts from the Retail Food Environment and Customer Interaction Model. Several key strategies for store success are presented including the use of non-traditional business models, focus on specific retail actors such as store champions and multiple vendor relationships, and a stores’ role in the broader community context, as well as the striking challenges faced across store locations. Further exploration of these store strategies and how they are implemented is needed, and may inform policies that can support these types of healthy retail sites and sustain their efforts in improving healthy food access in their communities.