Supplier Development from the Minority Supplier's Perspective

SUMMARY This article examines the perspectives of minority‐owned suppliers regarding their relationship with a large industrial manufacturing firm in the midwest region of the United States. The firm has a well‐established minority‐owned supplier development program. This study focused on assessing the effectiveness of the company's minority supplier development program, in terms of the outcomes of the program for minority suppliers, and examining potential barriers to success. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire mailed to minority‐owned suppliers. The suppliers’ responses were grouped on the basis of three variables: (1) sales volume, (2) percentage of the supplier's sales to the firm, and (3) length of the supplier's business relationship with the firm. Responses were analyzed to determine whether supplier size, sales percentage, or relationship length were significantly related to the perceived quality of the relationship.