Supplier Development: A British Case Study

This article describes the major findings of a study focusing on the supplier development programs of ten organizations based in the United Kingdom. The primary research methodology used was the case study; each case was developed by the use of semistructured interviews with management personnel and by analysis of company records and reports. Major findings of the study show that (1) the firms studied are continuing to reduce their supplier base in order to improve product and service quality; (2) there appears to be a lack of acceptance of externally developed standards and programs designed to give third‐party accreditation status to suppliers; and (3) most of the firms are urgently attempting to improve their communication channels with suppliers. Perhaps the most basic point to come from the study is the strong realization that only by working with its suppliers can a firm hope to remain at the forefront of technology and hence protect its share of the market.