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The purpose of this paper is to design, develop, implement and validate a multi-criteria decision model for measuring supplier satisfaction through a case study.

A three-stage methodology was used to develop a framework to measure supplier satisfaction. The framework involved factors and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) from literature and exploratory study. Further, using the framework, a multi-dimensional decision model to calculate Supplier Satisfaction Index was developed. The proposed decision framework was implemented as a real-world case study in an Indian manufacturing organization.

The study makes two major contributions: first, it develops a framework to measure supplier satisfaction using factors and KPIs suitable to the buyer organization; second, the model developed to calculate supplier satisfaction helps in understanding overall satisfaction of suppliers along with the level of satisfaction of each supplier. The model can also be used to suggest improvements to buyer organizations on specific factors and KPIs under each factor.

Supplier satisfaction plays an important role in multinational companies (MNCs), so the sample of practitioners considered in this study is relevant. However, it is likely that the small sample size of only suppliers and companies selected solely from the Indian manufacturing MNCs may have introduced some bias.

A comprehensive framework for enhancing the relationship with suppliers will be instrumental in deciding, managing and improving the level of supplier satisfaction.

This approach provides purchase managers with the flexibility of selecting factors and KPIs at every level of analysis and also a single index to establish supplier’s satisfaction with a buyer company.

The purpose of this study is to develop a scale and model to measure suppliers' satisfaction index (SSI) in buyer‐suppliers relationships.

Based on the literature review and opinion of the suppliers, this paper first explores the factors that influence suppliers' satisfaction (SS). Subsequently a questionnaire is designed based on these factors and survey was conducted among 300 suppliers' organizations. Partial least square (PLS) approach is used to validate the model and investigate the relationships of factors or constructs with SS. Finally, the authors compute the extent of SSI using analytical hierarchy process (AHP).

The results indicate that purchase policy, payment policy, coordination policy and corporate image of the buying firm have positive impact on SS. The purchase policy and corporate image have strong impact on SS compared to other factors. The computed value of SSI in this study is 65.25 on the scale of 1‐100.

The data used in this study are collected only from the suppliers of an Indian PSU. The proposed method can also be used by other industries for measuring the value of SS. In the future, one can carry out a study by measuring the satisfaction of both parties simultaneously. Moreover, generalizability of the findings to other industries or other countries is open to scrutiny.

This paper develops a new scale to measure SS and explores the relationships of different factors with SS and among each other. Finally, a method is proposed to compute the current level of SSI.

There is great uncertainty and volatility in the evaluation and measurement of green supplier satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap based on the information entropy theory (IET) to describe the probability of green supplier satisfaction degree.

The authors introduce a formal model using analytic hierarchy process (AHP), IET and entropy technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) method to evaluate green supplier satisfaction and promote them for the better implementation of green supply chain management practices.

The first finding is developing an effective framework for green supplier satisfaction, incorporating various measures of environmental dimension. Second, a hybrid uncertainty decision method is introduced, by integrating AHP and IET and entropy-TOPSIS.

One of the main limitations of the research is that the authors introduced a conceptual example. Real-world applications need to investigate the accuracy and effectiveness of these measures, and the operational feasibility of this method.

This is one of the first works to provide a comprehensive appraisal model for evaluation of green supplier satisfaction. This study and research method can form general guidelines, and organizations can increasingly benefit from using green supplier satisfaction evaluation as a management tool. Green supplier satisfaction evaluation is just the beginning.

This paper aims to understand the factors that influence a supplier’s choice to treat selected customers more preferentially than others. Suppliers often lack the resources to treat all their customers equally, instead having to make choices to treat some customers as preferred. Empirical evidence indicates that preferential treatment by suppliers provides substantial benefits for the purchasing firm.

This study applies a mixed-methods approach. First, a qualitative analysis of a sample of buyers from an automotive manufacturer was conducted. In the second step, the findings were triangulated via a quantitative survey among key account managers of the automotive firm’s suppliers.

This paper is the first to provide quantitative data collected from a large sample of automotive suppliers about the drivers of preferential customer treatment. The authors were able to show that the growth opportunities for suppliers and customers’ operative excellence, reliability and relational behavior are factors that induce suppliers to award preferential customer treatment. In contrast, innovation potential for suppliers, customers’ support of suppliers, supplier involvement and contact accessibility do not show a significant effect on suppliers’ behavioral intentions toward preferential customer treatment.

The mixed-methods approach is introduced as a form of academic enquiry in supply chain management. The factors influencing preferential customer treatment by suppliers are explored in discussions with purchasers and validated in a subsequent survey among suppliers. Recommendations for managerial practice and theory are drawn.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of social capital and relationship quality on key account management (KAM) effectiveness.

Based on the literature, the authors designed a framework that links social capital, relationship quality and KAM effectiveness. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Using data from a sample of 172 business-to-business supplier firms, the authors examined this model.

The research results provide empirical support to the importance of relational aspects of KAM by showing how the relational aspects of relationship quality and social capital influence the effectiveness of the supplier-key account relationship.

The authors add to the literature on relational KAM by integrating theoretical perspectives on social capital, relationship quality and KAM. They develop a model that investigates the antecedents of the effectiveness of supplier–key account relationships from a relational perspective. The study explains the relationships between six constructs representing social capital (ability, benevolence, integrity, flexibility, information exchange and solidarity) and three constructs representing relationship quality (trust, satisfaction and relationship atmosphere), together with the relationships between these three constructs of relationship quality and KAM effectiveness.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the affective and cognitive dimensions of satisfaction that impact the buyer-supplier relationship (BSR) from the supplier's perspective and to consider satisfaction within the context of power-dependency theory.

Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 Chinese apparel supply professionals who regularly interact with apparel buyers. Audio or video interviews were conducted via WeChat (the most popular social media platform in China).

A thematic analysis of the interview data revealed that both affective and cognitive dimensions of satisfaction impact the BSR. A model of supplier affective and cognitive satisfaction in a collaborative BSR was developed to illustrate the connections between the two dimensions.

Due to intense competition in the market, supplier satisfaction is essential for building relationships in the apparel industry. Existing studies have focused on satisfaction from the perspective of the buyer rather than the supplier because in a BSR, the buyer tends to hold more power. Moreover, research has primarily considered cognitive evaluations of satisfaction with the BSR. This study offers new insight on both cognitive and affective satisfaction from the perspective of suppliers within the context of power-dependency theory.

Especially in a recession, organisations should try and support one another by developing supplier partnerships to help reduce both costs and risks. Some companies have already initiated such programmes and uncovered some impressive results.

This paper aims to address the supplier selection problem based on a developed framework capturing the essence of the supply chain operations reference (SCOR) model, sustainability and providing services to customers. Specifically, the authors consider planning, manufacturing, delivery, sustainability and customer service attributes to evaluate and select suppliers.

Relevant literature is reviewed, a framework capturing the essence of major supply chain functions was developed and suitable measurement attributes were identified. An integrated fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution method are employed to obtain the final ranking of the attributes and suppliers. The proposed methodology is illustrated through a real case of an Indian automobile company.

The authors observed that planning, manufacturing, customer service, sustainability and delivery are preferred in decreasing order to select component suppliers for an automotive company. The impact of suppliers on planning and manufacturing is most important to consider while assessing suppliers. Interestingly, concerns about sustainability and delivery are the least cared factors when selecting suppliers. The top five criteria contain measures of operational efficiency rather than purchasing cost.

This paper proposes and demonstrates a supplier selection framework harmonizing supply chain functions of the SCOR model, sustainability and customers service that adds a valuable wing to literature that expounds on the connection of purchasing strategy to corporate strategy. A case study in an automotive company throws unique and valuable managerial implications for purchasing and supply chain performance.

With the high level of outsourcing in aerospace engineering and manufacture, the effective use of knowledge across the supply chain is acknowledged to be crucial to the success of any projects. “Knowledge”, however, may have different meanings and context. Presents a view of the supplier knowledge in relation to the product engineering process. The different types of supplier knowledge in the five key stages of the aerospace product development process are explained. An existing joint supplier improvement information system is used to illustrate best practice in supply‐base management. Tools that could be used in the different modes of supplier involvement are briefly introduced. Represents part of the results of three industrial research projects that interacted with the supply bases of two large British aerospace companies.

The first objective of this paper is to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) and their corresponding key performance indicators (KPIs) for supplier development (SD) in a manufacturing environment. The second objective is to develop a methodology to analyze and evaluate the performance for SD using CSFs and their KPIs over the time.

In all, 13 CSFs and their corresponding KPIs for SD are established through an extensive literature review, discussion held with managers/engineers in different Indian manufacturing companies and conducting brainstorming sessions. A methodology is proposed using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and performance value analysis to assess and evaluate the performance of SD over the time.

From an extensive analysis of the results, under the given circumstances, the growth of SD performance is positive at different progressive points along the time horizon.

This study has not been statistically validated in manufacturing supply chain for complete acceptability.

This study provides insights into the performance evaluation of SD using CSFs and their corresponding KPIs. The managers should capture their manufacturing environment which can reflect their own priority considerations to establish the impact of each KPI on its corresponding CSF.

Although many issues related to SD have been widely researched individually, few studies have been reported with a model to quantify, monitor, analyze, and evaluate the growth of SD performance in manufacturing environment in Indian context. The proposed model has the ability to capture the performance along KPIs and CSFs to draw fruitful conclusions regarding the success of the SD programme.