Spotlight:Perception‐based supplier attributes and performance implications a multimethod exploratory exploratory study

In the brief presentation on the academic article published in the Journal of Supply Chain Management „Perception-based supplier attributes and performance implications: a multimethod exploratory study“(2021) Prof. Dr. Thomas Clauß, together with Chanchai Tangpong, presents key findings from their study on supplier relationships. The focus is on which supplier characteristics are actually effective in the perceptions of purchasing managers and how these perceptions shape decisions in buyer-supplier relationships.

The contribution shows that supplier characteristics should not be considered in isolation from existing business relationships. Instead, they arise in the context of repeated interactions and are influenced by subjective assessments, bounded rationality, and relationship experiences. Proactivity, trustworthiness, friendliness, and helpfulness, among others, are identified as perception-based attributes that can be associated with performance-enhancing practices such as friction reduction, relationship improvement, and the exchange of information and ideas.

At the same time, the presentation draws attention to the potential downsides of close supplier relationships. Highly relationship-oriented attributes can lead to the compensation of economic weaknesses, reduced objective evaluations, or the acceptance of problematic routines for too long. The paper thus provides important impulses for purchasing managers who want to evaluate supplier relationships more reflectively and better manage both innovation potential and risks in collaboration.