Citation:
Lynette J. Ryals, Beth Rogers, Holding up the mirror: The impact of strategic procurement practices on account management, Business Horizons, Volume 49, Issue 1, January-February 2006, Pages 41-50.
Abstract:
Procurement has grown up. It is now a strategic business function that
increasingly recognizes the importance of strategic supplier relationships, a
reflection of key account management. It is time to assess the impact of this
shift on the profession and practice of account management. This paper examines
customer adoption of strategic procurement and then discusses the implications
this has for account managers at the suppliers serving these customers. New
techniques are emerging in these special relationships, including the use of
psychological contracts and co-measurement and monitoring. Perceived fairness
will also have a major impact on the customer's view of their suppliers. Account
managers must recognize these changes or fall victim to supplier delusion: the
belief that they are performing better than they really are.