Supply source selection criteria: The impact of supplier performance on distributor performance

• Published in: Industrial marketing management Vol. 33; no. 8; pp. 755 - 764
• Main Authors: Katsikeas, Constantine S., Paparoidamis, Nicholas G., Katsikea, Eva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Elsevier Inc 01-11-2004; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Business management; Criteria; Decision making; Distribution; Distributor performance; Distributors; Impact analysis; Information technology; Polls & surveys; Purchasing; Studies; Supplier performance; Supply; Supply source selection criteria; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK; Supplier performance; Distributor performance; Supply source selection criteria
• ISSN: 0019-8501; 1873-2062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2004.01.002

In drawing attention to certain important gaps in the purchasing literature, the study reports on a systematic examination of supplier performance in purchasing decision criteria of U.K. distributor firms of information technology (IT) products. An attempt is made to explore the presence of dimensions underlying supplier performance in buying decision elements and identify potential differences in distributor performance with regard to supplier performance in important purchasing decision criteria. Based on a survey sample of 237 distributors, the results suggest significant differences between highly performing and poorly performing distributors in relation to their suppliers' performance in four buying decision criterion dimensions: reliability, competitive pricing, service support, and technological capability. The implications of the findings for business practitioners are highlighted, and directions for future research are identified.