Purpose

This study aims to investigate how relatively weaker manufacturers respond to the dominance of stronger suppliers and/or customers. The study also analyzes how the competitive intensity perceived by manufacturers moderates their responses to powerful chain partners.

Design/methodology/approach

Using hierarchical regression, data from 1,417 manufacturing companies sampled from the fifth and sixth versions of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey were analyzed.

Findings

This study found that relatively weaker manufacturers often adopt exploration strategies to countervail the dominance of suppliers and adopt exploitation strategies to deal with more powerful customers. In dealing with both dominant suppliers and customers, relatively weaker manufacturers are prone to adopt exploration and exploitation strategies simultaneously and hence become ambidextrous. Furthermore, the link between dominance in supply chains and the exploration (exploitation) strategy is strengthened (weakened) as market competition perceived by manufacturers intensifies.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is multi-folds. First, this paper develops and test a novel theoretical model on how relatively weaker manufacturers create tailored strategies to defend their positions in the supply chain. Second, it integrates resource dependence theory and organizational learning theory to propose that relatively weaker manufacturers could use a unique configuration of exploration and exploitation strategies to counteract the dominance of their suppliers and customers. Third, it investigates supply chain power by considering the manufacturers’ upstream and downstream powerful partners together, rather than individually and fourth, it reveals that relationships linking supply chain power to manufacturers’ tailored strategies are contingent on competitive intensity.

中文翻译：

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制造商对强大的供应链合作伙伴的定制响应

目的

本研究旨在调查相对较弱的制造商如何应对实力较强的供应商和/或客户的主导地位。该研究还分析了制造商感知的竞争强度如何调节他们对强大的连锁合作伙伴的反应。

设计/方法/方法

使用层次回归分析了从第五版和第六版国际制造战略调查中抽取的 1,417 家制造公司的数据。

发现

本研究发现，相对较弱的制造商往往采用探索策略来抵消供应商的主导地位，并采用剥削策略来应对更强大的客户。在与优势供应商和客户打交道时，相对较弱的制造商倾向于同时采取探索和开发策略，从而变得灵巧。此外，随着制造商感知的市场竞争加剧，供应链中的主导地位与探索（开发）战略之间的联系得到加强（削弱）。

原创性/价值

本文的贡献是多方面的。首先，本文开发并测试了一个新的理论模型，说明相对较弱的制造商如何制定量身定制的策略来捍卫自己在供应链中的地位。其次，它整合了资源依赖理论和组织学习理论，提出相对较弱的制造商可以使用独特的探索和开发策略配置来抵消其供应商和客户的支配地位。第三，它通过综合考虑制造商上下游的强大合作伙伴而不是单独考虑供应链力量来研究供应链力量。第四，它揭示了将供应链力量与制造商定制战略联系起来的关系取决于竞争强度。