The majority of make or buy decisions are invoked in the name of “cost”, but the two case studies outlined in this paper demonstrate that cost is only one of a multitude of criteria which managers need to evaluate in this strategic decision. Also highlighted are the difficulties in...

The author investigate the effect which the delivery performance of a company's suppliers have upon the company's own delivery assurance and reputation. Alternative methods of evaluating supplier delivery performance are studied. An analysis is made of the extent to which the suppliers' poor...

Purchasing operates at the interface between a company and its supply market environment. Its activities are essentially concerned with securing the resource inputs of materials, components and equipment into the business, and in the selection and handling of suppliers of those inputs. Many...

Discusses some underlying concepts and unique features of a major European study on industrial marketing and purchasing carried out by the IMP group. Based in part on theory. Focuses the research on relationships between buying and selling companies and these are from five European countries,...