Determining Factors Of Long-Term Orientation Of Firm-Supplier Relationships: An Empirical Analysis In The Context Of The Spanish Agro-Food Sector

Abstract

In an increasingly competitive and dynamic economic environment, the establishment, development and maintenance of enduring relationships between suppliers and customers is critical for both agents, and represents an important source of competitive advantages for those companies able to manage them adequately. Taking as reference the perspective of the customer, we consider that it is important for them to always work with a group of suppliers that have demonstrated an ability to adapt to their specific needs and thereby to reduce the level of uncertainty associated with their supply function. The current work, which takes the Spanish agro-food sector as framework of reference, analyzes the importance of certain factors in the long-term orientation of these relationships.