Purpose

This study analyzes how technological changes in the context of Industry 4.0 influence buyer-supplier relationships (BSRs).

Design/methodology/approach

The study is explorative in nature; hence, an empirical qualitative research design is applied. It bases on 45 expert interviews with managers from German and Austrian industrial companies as empirical data. A qualitative content analysis is conducted to inductively analyze the empirical material and to identify common patterns, themes and categories.

Findings

The paper finds that future transactions are mainly based on digitized, automated procedures, transferring various value creation processes to platforms. BSRs become more intense in nature. Companies consolidate their supplier base by focusing on important strategic suppliers.

Research limitations/implications

As the paper is of exploratory nature, it can only present first qualitative insights. Further studies can extend the results by analyzing and contrasting BSRs in various industries or value chain stages and map differences and similarities, respectively.

Practical implications

The paper's results provide implications for management and corporate practice alike. These help companies to raise Industry 4.0's full potential as for BSRs creating and securing long-term and sustainable competitive advantages.

Originality/value

This paper is among the first to empirically investigate BSRs in the context of Industry 4.0. Providing implications for research and corporate practice, it contributes to tapping Industry 4.0's full potential complementing an extra-organizational perspective.

中文翻译：

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关系紧随技术！工业4.0如何重塑未来的买家与供应商关系

目的

这项研究分析了工业4.0背景下的技术变化如何影响买方与供应商之间的关系（BSR）。

设计/方法/方法

该研究本质上是探索性的；因此，应用了经验定性研究设计。它基于对来自德国和奥地利工业公司的经理的45次专家访谈作为经验数据。进行定性内容分析以归纳分析经验材料并确定常见的模式，主题和类别。

发现

本文发现，未来的交易主要基于数字化的自动化程序，将各种价值创造过程转移到平台上。BSR本质上变得更加激烈。公司通过关注重要的战略供应商来巩固其供应商基础。

研究局限/意义

由于该论文具有探索性，因此只能提供初步的定性见解。进一步的研究可以通过分析和对比各个行业或价值链阶段中的BSR来扩展结果，并分别绘制差异和相似性。

实际影响

本文的结果对管理和公司实践均具有启示意义。这些帮助企业提高BSR创造的工业4.0的全部潜力，从而创造并确保长期和可持续的竞争优势。

创意/价值

本文是首次在工业4.0的背景下对BSR进行实证研究的报告。它为研究和公司实践提供了含义，有助于挖掘工业4.0的全部潜力，并补充了组织外的观点。