Title: Perceptions of buyer-buyer relationships in a successful and an unsuccessful purchasing group: evidence from a case study

Authors: Elmar Holschbach; Erik Hofmann; Wolfgang Stölzle; Florian C. Kleemann

Addresses: Department of Engineering and Business Administration, South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, Lindenstrasse 53, 59872 Meschede, Germany ' Logistics Management (LOG-HSG), University of St. Gallen, Dufourstrasse 40a, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland ' Logistics Management (LOG-HSG), University of St. Gallen, Dufourstrasse 40a, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland ' Institute for Industrial Service Management Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Stuttgart Paulinenstrasse 50, 70178 Stuttgart, Germany

Abstract: Purchasing groups are an organisational concept to enhance purchasing's performance. They can be used to bundle purchasing volumes and generate additional savings. This paper makes a first step towards the analysis of inter-personal relationships within purchasing groups. It examines how perceptions of buyer-buyer relationships differ between a successful and an unsuccessful group and how these differences affect success. The questions are investigated using the case study method. The interaction and network model is used as a conceptual framework. Exploratory evidence suggests that major differences exist in the buyers' perceptions of relationships between a successful and an unsuccessful group. Overall, the unsuccessful group failed to develop routinised exchange episodes, institutionalised behaviours and adaptations among its buyers. These variations affect mutual expectations amongst buyers and influence success or failure of a purchasing group. It is suggested that managers of purchasing groups should actively steer the relationships among buyers within a group.

Keywords: cooperative purchasing; purchasing group; purchasing consortium; relationship.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISM.2017.086241

International Journal of Integrated Supply Management, 2017 Vol.11 No.2/3, pp.135 - 171

Received: 16 Aug 2016
Accepted: 16 May 2017
Published online: 03 Sep 2017 *

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