Textile and Apparel Industries

Examining the Impact of Buyer Power on Supply Chain Performance: The Mediating Effect of Supplier Satisfaction

---

Abstract

The ultimate measure of a firm’s supply chain management is supply chain performance (SCP), that is, whether its customers are provided with an excellent product in terms of quality, cost, delivery, innovation, and flexibility (Terpend & Krause, 2015). Product quality, cost, delivery, innovation, and flexibility are also important metrics for monitoring and improving overall SCP in the global apparel industry (Su & Gargeya, 2016). Recent research indicates that several relationship factors could potentially affect SCP (Huo et al., 2017). Among these factors, studies have shown that a supply chain partner’s (buyer or supplier) relationship satisfaction is a highly significant factor impacting overall SCP (Benton & Maloni, 2005). Given the importance of supplier satisfaction pointed out by Essig and Amann (2009), the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of buyer power on SCP while considering the mediating effect of supplier satisfaction.

Keywords: Apparel supply chain management, global sourcing buyer-supplier relationship, apparel industry, supply chain management, buyer-supplier relationship, relationship satisfaction, social power bases, reward power, coercive power, supply chain performance

How to Cite:

Wu, H. J., Hodges, N. J. & Su, J., (2022) “Examining the Impact of Buyer Power on Supply Chain Performance: The Mediating Effect of Supplier Satisfaction”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 78(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.13582