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In this research, we explore the impact of international buyer-supplier relationships on sustainability practices in the Ready-Made Garments (RMG) industry, concentrating specifically on the context of Bangladesh. The root of this investigation centers around unpacking the influence of global business interconnectivity on operational approaches at the supplier juncture, with a specific emphasis on sustainability. Two core research queries were set as the guiding posts for this investigation: (1) What is the impact of international buyer-supplier relationships on sustainable practices in the RMG sector of Bangladesh? and (2) How do different types of buyer-supplier relationships influence this impact? Drawing from the theoretical discourse, the study ventured to hypothesize those certain elements of international buyer-supplier relationships - the relational dynamics, enduring alliances, and the commitment of international buyers to sustainability - have a positive bearing on sustainable practices within the Bangladeshi RMG industry. To provide empirical support to these assumptions, a quantitative study involving 66 managers working within Bangladesh's RMG industry was undertaken. Utilizing covariance-based descriptive statistics as our analytical tool, we proceeded to examine the validity of our hypotheses. The findings provided a resounding confirmation, highlighting that attributes like trust, commitment, open communication, and long-term partnerships favorably influence the incorporation of sustainable practices. Moreover, it was observed that the commitment of international buyers to sustainability, demonstrated through the enforcement of standards and initiatives to support suppliers, has a substantial influence on suppliers' operational strategies, elbowing them towards the adoption of sustainable and ethical business practices. These insights shed light on how international buyer-supplier relationships impact global trading dynamics and underscore the intensifying significance of sustainability in modern business ethics. This research extends the theoretical discourse on international business, supply chain management, and sustainability. Additionally, it offers pragmatic insights for managers operating within Bangladesh's RMG industry, accentuating the necessity to cultivate enduring, trust- centric relationships with international buyers and to align their operational strategies with the global shift towards sustainable business practices.

This paper examines risks that arise from buyer-manufacturer relationships from Malaysian garment manufacturers' perspectives. In addition, the risk management techniques used to handle these risks are studied and cross-examined. The nature of the relationship is also discussed in relation to the risks and risk management techniques identified. Design/methodology/approach: This thesis is based on a deductive research approach. Two research questions are answered with the help of six semi-structured in-depth interviews with managers at Malaysian garment factories and a thematic analysis. Findings: The most significant risk associated with the relationship is late payments. The most common risk management technique to minimize this risk is to demand deposits before production starts. The nature of the relationship between the manufacturer and their customers plays a substantial role in the types of risks faced by manufacturers and their use of risk management techniques. Research implications: The managerial implications are that garment manufacturers can learn from other manufacturers’ risks and risk management techniques to improve their own business and act proactively. The research question of this report sheds light on the hidden field of the effects of purchasing practitioners' decision-making and can inspire future research. Originality/value: This study explores a topic from a perspective that has not been studied before. The research role, given that we are young students, has offered unfiltered and unique data which gives the results high value.

In the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the textile industry faced significant challenges regarding the SC. The importance of managing the relationship between the supplier and buyer was crucial in order to cope with the disruption in the SC. The textile industry implemented measures to manage and minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there was a crucial missing link between the disruption and how or if the relationship between the buyer and supplier changed. The thesis aims to explore and investigate how Swedish-based fashion textile SC actors (buyers and suppliers) can manage the relationship in the SC and what factors can be identified that characterize a change. Further, the thesis examines the relationship between buyer and supplier, with emphasis on what relationship management factors have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The thesis is based on Swedish companies, having a global textile value chain. To satisfy the purpose of this study, a qualitative method with a deductive approach was implemented. The data gathering consisted of primary data, including three semi-structured interviews with two buyer representatives and one supplier representative. Additionally, a literature review was conducted to complement the primary data. The analysis is based on exploring and comparing the themes found in the primary data and the literature review regarding the factors characterizing the change in the relationship between the buyer and the supplier. The common characteristics found in the literature review and primary data indicated the change in the relationship between supplier and buyer during the COVID-19 pandemic. It could be identified that trust and communication strengthened the collaboration between suppliers and buyers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Flexibility was further a factor that characterized a positive change in the relationship because of the deeper understanding between the supplier and the buyer during the pandemic. In contrast to the findings from the interviews, the relationship factor “power” was prominent in the literature review with the characteristic of changing the relationship. However, power was not central in the interviews as a factor enabling changes. The practical implication of this study highlights the importance of the relationship between a supplier and buyer, especially the relationship during a disruption, as the textile SC is complex, and the actors are interconnected. Multiple factors can characterize the change in the relationship. In the thesis, two relationship factors were prominent from the literature and interviews, collaboration, and flexibility. Suppliers and buyers in the textile industry can use the result of this study to improve and understand the relationship factors that can characterize a change in the relationship during a pandemic disruption.

Syfte: Denna studie syftar till att beskriva den roll relationshantering spelar för att främja en mer hållbar leverantörskedja inom livsmedelsbranschen. Samhället står inför utmaningar gällande klimatförändringarna som sker i världen och studier visar att livsmedelsbranschen har en stor påverkan på dessa klimatförändringar. Branschen fokuserar mer på miljömässiga aspekter och socialt ansvarstagande, däremot är det en komplicerad fråga. Ett företags syn på lösning av dessa problem kan påverka ett annat företag negativt inom leverantörskedjan.  Metod: Studien har utgått från en kvalitativ metod med en abduktiv ansats. Vidare har semistrukturerade intervjuer utförts med sammanlagt sex respondenter inom fyra olika företag. Analys av empirin har utförts med en tematisk analysmetod. Resultat och slutsats: Studiens resultat visar att relationshantering är en avgörande faktor i att skapa långsiktiga relationer, men däremot främjar det inte en mer hållbar utveckling inom leverantörskedjan. Studien tyder på att aktörerna inom leverantörskedjan lutar sig mot de certifieringar som finns inom branschen som tar hänsyn till miljömässiga aspekter och socialt ansvarstagande. Aktörerna har ingen vidare dialog mellan varandra hur de ska arbeta mer hållbart. Slutsatsen är att ansvaret ligger hos certifieringsorganen för att främja en mer hållbar utveckling. Däremot bör aktörerna inom leverantörskedjan ta ett större ansvar. Examensarbetets bidrag: Studiens teoretiska bidrag visar att relationshantering inte används i någon vidare utsträckning inom leverantörskedjan för att främja hållbarhet, till skillnad från tidigare studier som har påvisat detta. Studien bidrar också med praktiska insikter om att certifieringar som innefattar miljömässiga aspekter och socialt ansvarstagande är goda tillvägagångssätt. Detta bidrar till en mer hållbar utveckling eftersom aktörer inom livsmedelsbranschen måste följa dessa certifieringar om de vill verka inom denna marknad. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Vi anser att det hade varit intressant att vidare studera hur certifieringarna har utvecklats i takt med samhällsförändringar inom hållbar utveckling. Dessutom skulle det vara intressant att studera hur dessa kan och bör utvecklas i framtiden. Fortsatt forskning kan även göras inom andra branscher för att skapa en jämförelse kring hur de skiljer sig åt.

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Although Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) is often seen as a powerful tool to drive sustainability across its supply chain, there is little available research in terms of how SPP actually influences its suppliers’ sustainability practices and what challenges are being faced during the process. In this study, we shed light on both issues by exploring SPP using Institutional and Power Dependence Theory in the context of the surgical instrument industry in Sweden. Methodologically, the study is grounded in an exploratory design and employs in-depth interviews with multiple stakeholders to gain a holistic understanding of the phenomena being studied. The study revealed that SPP mainly influences suppliers by requiring them to evaluate their own sustainability practices, engage in collaborative actions and make alterations when they fail to comply with the contractual terms.The most significant challenge resulted to be the lack of resources, resulting in the inability to perform sufficient follow-ups, engage in meaningful conversations with suppliers and procurers having to buy unsustainable products because of their tight budgets. Another major challenge was Sweden’s forerunner position when it comes to SPP on an international level, resulting in reluctancy on the part of international suppliers to alter their sustainability practices.

Submitted by Vanessa Nunes (vnunes@unisinos.br) on 2015-03-21T12:41:47Z No. of bitstreams: 1 JulianaCelestini.pdf: 1842948 bytes, checksum: 51dc2755ce2f0ed217fd143b762034c8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-21T12:41:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JulianaCelestini.pdf: 1842948 bytes, checksum: 51dc2755ce2f0ed217fd143b762034c8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-30 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Um desafio significativo para muitas empresas é identificar os recursos que podem ser utilizados para moverem-se das relações caracterizadas por forte poder de compra e posição de barganha para parcerias baseadas na cooperação. O relacionamento colaborativo entre comprador e fornecedor tem sido reconhecido como um importante critério para alcançar resultados positivos. A teoria do capital social reconhece que as relações podem ser uma fonte de recursos físicos e informacionais. Assim, tem-se como objetivo analisar a relação das dimensões do capital social com o desempenho operacional da empresa compradora. O modelo proposto sustenta que o desempenho operacional em custo, qualidade, entrega, flexibilidade e inovatividade estão positivamente relacionados com as três dimensões – relacional, cognitiva e estrutural – do capital social. Foram amostradas plantas, no setor industrial têxtil e de confeccionados brasileiro. Obteve-se uma lista das empresas cadastradas como fabricantes nacionais de vestuário e acessórios no Guia TexBrasil da Associação Brasileira de Indústria Têxtil (ABIT). Sorteou-se de forma aleatória simples uma amostra probabilística de mil empresas. Contatou-se cada uma por telefone, e coletaram-se 503 endereços eletrônicos diretos válidos de gestores envolvidos diretamente com fornecedores. O questionário foi elaborado com base no desenvolvimento de escalas e composto por itens tipo Likert com as medidas de cada construto do capital social e do desempenho de operações. O questionário foi revisado por executivos de duas em presas do mesmo setor industrial e por três especialistas da área de operações. O pré-teste foi aplicado em uma amostra de 17executivos de formação semelhante a dos respondentes. Usou-se Análise Fatorial Confirmatória (CFA) para validar as escalas. Ajustado o questionário, empregou-se um formulário on-line, enviado e monitorado durante os meses de novembro e dezembro de 2013 para os endereços eletrônicos previamente identificados. Utilizou-se o método similar ao proposto por Dillmann (2002) e guiou-se uma survey. Obtiveram-se 117 respostas, 102 das quais válidas. Conduziu-se CFA para avaliar a validade e confiabilidade das respostas. Testaram-se as hipóteses com regressão linear múltipla. Constatou-se que as medidas do desempenho operacional do comprador relacionam-se de forma distinta com cada dimensão do capital social. Os resultados revelam que as ações de relacionamento entre comprador e fornecedor que envolve a avaliação de desempenho, a apropriabilidade, o compartilhamento de informação, o desenvolvimento do fornecedor (dimensão estrutural) e a visão e valores compartilhados (dimensão cognitiva) estão positivamente relacionados com o desempenho operacional do comprador. O fator positivamente relacionado com o desempenho em custo é a dimensão estrutural (avaliação do desempenho e apropriabilidade). O fator positivamente relacionado com o desempenho em qualidade é a dimensão estrutural (apropriabilidade). O fator associado com o desempenho em entrega é a dimensão cognitiva (visão e valores compartilhados). O fator associado com o desempenho em flexibilidade é a dimensão cognitiva (visão e valores compartilhados). O fator associado com o desempenho em inovatividade é a dimensão estrutural (desenvolvimento do fornecedor, compartilhamento de informações e apropriabilidade). Em suma, a pesquisa mostra que as empresas compradoras podem aproveitar a relação comprador-fornecedor para melhorarem seu desempenho operacional, se as dimensões apropriadas do capital social forem fomentadas. / A significant challenge to many companies is to identify the resources that can be used to move up the relationships characterized by strong buying power and bargain position to cooperation based partnerships. The collaborative relationship between buyer and supplier has been recognized as an important criterion to achieve positive results. The social capital theory recognizes that relationships can be a source of physical and informational resources. In this sense, one aims to analyze the relationship of the dimensions of social capital to the operational performance of the buyer company. The proposed model supports that the operational performance in cost, quality, delivery, flexibility and innovativeness related positively to the three dimensions – relational, cognitive and structural – of social capital. We sampled plants in the textile industry and Brazilian manufactured. We obtained a list of companies registered as domestic manufacturers of apparel and accessories in TexBrasil Guide of the Brazilian Association of Textile Industries (ABIT). One has drawn up a simple random sample composed by1000 companies. Each company was contacted by telephone and we collected 503 valid direct e-mail addresses of managers involved directly with suppliers. The questionnaire was based on the development of scales, and composed by items like Likert with the measures of each social capital and construct of the performance of operations. Executives from two companies in the same industrial sector and three experts in operation area reviewed the questionnaire. We applied the pre-test in a sample of 17 executives with similar training to the one of the respondents. We used a Confirmatory Factorial Analysis (CFA) to validate the scales. Adjusted the questionnaire, we used an on-line form, sent and monitored during the months of November and December 2013 for the e-mails previously identified. We used a similar method to that proposed by Dillmann (2002), and guided a survey. We obtained 117 valid answers, 102 of them were valid. CFA was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of the responses. Multiple linear regressions tested the hypotheses. We verified that the buyer’s operational performance measures relate differently to each dimension of social capital. The results show that the relationship actions between buyer and supplier that involve evaluating performance, appropriability, information sharing, supplier development (structural dimension) and the shared vision and values (cognitive dimension) related positively to the buyer’s operat ional performance. The factor positively related with performance in cost is the structural dimension (performance evaluation and appropriability). The factor positively related with performance in quality is the structural dimension (appropriability). The factor associated with performance in delivery is the cognitive dimension (shared vision and values). The factor associated with performance in flexibility is the cognitive dimension (shared vision and values). The factor associated with performance in innovativeness is the structural dimension (supplier development, information sharing and appropriability). In short, the research shows that the buyer companies can leverage the buyer-seller relationship to improve their operational performance, if the appropriate dimensions of the social capital are encouraged.

Competitive forces in today‟s business world are putting firms under pressure to improve quality, delivery performance, and responsiveness while simultaneously reducing cost, which for many companies have resulted in increased outsourcing of activities. Consequently a greater dependency on suppliers‟ performance in terms of quality and delivery service has evolved.Companies are therefore exploring ways to leverage their supply chains, by developing their supply chain structure and continually evaluating the role of suppliers in their activities. As supply chains have evolved, a number of different supply chain structures have emerged, based upon the networks and the level of collaboration between the buyer and supplier. The optimization of a supply chain process has proven to lead inevitably to a growing interdependence among supply chain partners. Treating all suppliers the same is no longer feasible, and a failure to recognize that some suppliers have different needs than others.The research conducted in this thesis was aimed at finding strategies, and approaches of effectively working with supplier relationship management.The empirical study was conducted at Intelbras, a Brazilian electronics manufacturer, which has a large percent of its production outsourced. Intelbras has recently segmented their supply-base into two segments; suppliers of commodity type items and suppliers of critical items. For suppliers of critical items, quality agreements were developed to attend the special needs of selected items.The findings of the research was compared and analyzed with the empirical data, which resulted in a few suggestions of possible future developments for Intelbras.Keywords: Supplier Relationship Management, Strategic Segmentation, Total Cost of Ownership, Buyer-Supplier Cooperation, Quality Agreement / Program: Industriell ekonomi - affärsingenjör

In today global business market, concepts are moving towards inter-national and inter-firm in contrary to older days. This has made companies explore ways to leverage their supply chains, and to evaluate the role of suppliers in their activities. One result has been the increased outsourcing of activities and performance. This has heightened the role of suppliers ever more.Consequently, in order to maintain competitive in the market and to be able to satisfy the knowledgeable end customer, suppliers must be completely aligned with the core company and its objectives and performances. This goal is only gained through strategic benchmarking towards Supplier Development.With a large number of suppliers to deal with, it won’t be feasible to have partnership relationship with each. The strategic approach is to classify them in a manner suitable for the company and only then start from top of the list setting goals for the most prioritized.Before making any attempt in Supplier Relationship Development, the company must start from within setting the right mindset from top down, inside its own ground. Only then Supplier development will be aligned with the objectives of the company and the program will be integrated and successful.This research sought after ways to develop a strategic and systematic method of dealing with suppliers. This guideline was classified as a step by step map of a Supplier Development program. The study was conducted for Volvo Penta Vara Company, and as part of its Supply Chain Development Program. The findings from the company and literature were compared and analyzed and finally guidelines were developed.This report is the last part of the master’s studies in Industrial Engineering-Logistics at University of Borås. It gave us the opportunity to use what we had learnt during the programme. Considering the broadness of the subject we were after, this report meant a lot of work. However, this was the challenge we wanted and an intriguing journey where we learned a lot along the way.