CITM Seminar by Prof Steven Melnyk (Michigan State University)

We’re Done Here: Understanding the Causes and Process of Supplier-Initiated Separation in Purchasing Relationships from the Supplier’s Perspective

Abstract: This note focuses on supplier-initiated separation (SIS), which refers to suppliers exiting a buyer-supplier relationship. This form of relationship dissolution has not been studied extensively within the extant literature as it is generally assumed that it is the buying company is severing the relationship, not the suppliers. However, recent anecdotal evidence suggests that suppliers “firing” ineffective buyers is becoming more frequent, offering a formidable opportunity for supply chain management researchers to study these dynamics. To help develop the foundation and jumpstart research, we investigate what SIS is, why it is important and what insights the existing literature has to offer about this phenomenon. We further outline factors that can influence the SIS process. The result is a complex process that reflects impact of not only the relationship but also external opportunities and internal constraints. This is also a process with a strong temporal dimension that must be considered. The exploration of the SIS process concludes with an identification of promising future research directions in this domain. In doing so, we rely on our interactions with practitioners, a structured literature review, brainstorming, and external validation. With our investigation we issue a call for future inquiries taking the supplier’s perspective and provide valuable guidance on how to delve into this promising research domain.

Speaker Bio: STEVEN A. MELNYK (Ph.D., Western –1981) is Professor of Supply Chain Management at Michigan State University. He has co-authored 23 books, over 100 refereed journal articles and over 200 practitioner articles. His research focus includes buyer-supplier relationships (as viewed from the supplier’s perspective), supply chain risk and resilience, strategic supply chain management, supply chain cyber security, and certified management standards. Dr. Melnyk sits on the editorial review board for numerous journals, including the International Journal of Production Research, and the International Journal of Operations and Production Management. From 2014 to 2016, Dr. Melnyk was a member of the APICS Board of Directors. From 2017 to 2019, Dr. Melnyk had a joint appointment from the University of Newcastle (Australia) where he was the Newcastle Global Innovation Chair in Supply Chain Management. In 2017, the Academy of Management - the Operations and Supply Chain Division -- recognized Dr. Melnyk as a Distinguished Scholar in the field. Dr. Melnyk is recognized for this ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice. In 2018, Dr. Melnyk received the Withrow Teacher-Scholar Award from the Eli Broad School of Business, Michigan State University, in recognition of his work as both a researcher and a teacher. His recent work has included a study for a branch of the armed services addressing the question of how good a customer was the branch was and a study for the National Defense Industry Association regarding supply chain cybersecurity.