dc.description.abstract |
This thesis details a study into the role of Small- to Medium- sized Manufacturers
(SMMs) in supply chains and how this may affect SMMs' growth potential. The study
draws upon a variety of research streams including Supply Chain Management, Industrial
Marketing, and the literature on factors that affect firm growth. The objectives of the
study are to:
identify relationship management activities employed by SMMs and
investigate the links between relationship management activities, critical
dimensions of customer relationships and growth potential
To this end, a series of semi-structured interviews with a set of SMMs and a large-scale
mail survey of SMMs are conducted. Data collected through the mail survey are analysed
using a variety of statistical techniques including factor analysis, multiple regression
analysis and cluster analysis. Study findings indicate that SMMs who are problem-
solvers and increase their own share of value added in the supply chain can develop
stronger customer relationships. SMMs can influence the strength of customer
relationships to a greater extent than the fairness of customer relationships. The study
proposes a relationship-oriented typology of SMMs based on how they define their
business and how they shape their customer base. The growth comparison among SMM
types suggests that SMMs who develop a balanced portfolio of customer relationships -
by developing good working relationships while avoiding excessive dependence on any
customer - realise higher growth potential. |
en_UK |