Supplier Partnering: Case Study Experiences

This article describes the findings of a study that examined the current partnership sourcing practices of 11 companies residing in the Trafford Park industrial area in Greater Manchester, U.K. All the companies studied were interested in exploring how they could develop further the concept of partnering with their customers and suppliers. A number of aspects of partnering to which attention needed to be given were identified, including the key items of integrated design, open‐book accounting, and the sharing of risks and benefits. It was also noted that forming supplier associations would be a good means of developing the ideals of partnering and disseminating information on the best practices.