Supplier commitment to high specification supply chains

Abstract

The aim of this research is to identify what attracts suppliers to be committed to long-term supply relationships in agri-food supply chains where the suppliers are required to consistently fulfil high product specifications. It also looks at what factors determined suppliers’ ongoing commitments and how to build strong enduring relationships.

This research contributes to an understanding of supplier behaviour and motivation, especially in regard to commitment and collaboration, and the factors that influence these. While there has been considerable research on customer relationships there has been little focus on supplier relationships (Athanasopoulou, 2009) and even less in the context of agri-food supply chains.