Conceptual Model for Effects of the Buyer Supplier Relationship, Purchasing Process, and Measures of Performance in Supply Chains

Abstract

Research into improving performance of supply chains is a dynamic field. As a result of the unpredictability of today's economic environment, a growing number of firms are looking for methods of improving performance indicators and exerting tighter management over their operations. The purchasing process and the buyer-supplier relationships are two aspects of modern retail supply chains that will be studied in depth, along with the contextual reasons that have led to their development in this particular cultural setting. The key objectives of this study are threefold: (1) to find the antecedents associated to each determinant; (2) to define the determinants themselves; and (3) to offer the conceptual model for this specific setting. This study contributes by developing an applicable conceptual framework for performance of supply chains for the preponderance of SMEs in China.