Collaborative practices with suppliers in Indian manufacturing multinationals

Purpose - The aim of this research was to study collaborative practices with suppliers in multinational manufacturing companies operating in India and to develop a framework for collaboration with suppliers. Design/methodology/approach - This study adopted a four-step mixed-methods approach that included qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative technique was used to explore the factors and develop a balanced scorecard-based (BSC - balanced scorecard) framework using them. Quantitative technique was used to validate the framework statistically and also by using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process using perception-based ranks given by practitioners. Findings - The exploratory research resulted in 26 antecedents for collaboration with suppliers in supply chains. Out of these 26, only 19 were considered based on importance given by practitioners. Further, the identified antecedents were classified and mapped based on the perspectives of the BSC. The extended BSC adds business environment and partnership perspectives to existing BSC framework. Some of the important factors identified under these perspectives were transparency of transactions, long-term commitment and trust. The customer perspective was given the utmost importance by the practitioners. Research limitations/implications - There are certain issues that may limit the completeness of the work in a global context. The number of organizations (21) and respondents (45) may also be insufficient to convey the complete knowledge embedded in the practice of the field. Originality/value - The study provides practical insights about the factors affecting collaboration with suppliers. A BSC-based framework for collaboration with suppliers was also developed along with the associated importance of each perspective and factors under each perspective, which can prove to be of great value to academics and practitioners involved in relationship with suppliers in supply chain.