Purpose

Boundary spanners link their internal organization with its external environment. In the present research, the authors study supply managers who build a bridge between a large original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and its network of suppliers. The purpose of this paper is to explore how boundary spanners mediate between internal (buyer) and external (supplier) managers in supplier development (SD) initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a qualitative case method to study an OEM pursuing multiple SD initiatives with multiple suppliers simultaneously. Data consist of interviews and non-participant observations conducted over a period of 14 months.

Findings

The findings of this paper highlight the mediation tasks that emerge at the organizational interface in advanced SD undertakings. Based on the analysis, this paper demonstrates how the nature of three core boundary-spanning activities, information mediation, reaching compromises and strategic communication, differ in four general SD conditions.

Research limitations/implications

The present paper advances the understanding of individual-level buyer–supplier tensions in SD. It makes a theoretical contribution that sits in the intersection between boundary spanning and SD.

Practical implications

This paper increases managers’ knowledge of a range of required SD mediation activities and provides an overview of where they unfold.

Originality/value

This paper breaks new ground by creating knowledge that extends beyond four dominant trends in SD research: SD as organizational-level behavior, SD as a generic set of activities, SD as a single performance improvement area and SD as a dyadic management task.

中文翻译：

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跨越多个供应商发展计划的边界：一项探索性研究

目的

边界跨越者将他们的内部组织与外部环境联系起来。在本研究中，作者研究了在大型原始设备制造商 (OEM) 及其供应商网络之间架起桥梁的供应经理。本文的目的是探讨边界跨越者如何在供应商开发 (SD) 计划中的内部（买方）和外部（供应商）经理之间进行调解。

设计/方法/方法

本文采用定性案例方法来研究一家 OEM 同时与多个供应商一起追求多个 SD 计划。数据包括在 14 个月内进行的访谈和非参与者观察。

发现

本文的研究结果强调了高级可持续发展事业中组织界面出现的调解任务。在分析的基础上，本文论证了信息调解、达成妥协和战略沟通这三个核心跨界活动的性质在四个一般 SD 条件下有何不同。

研究限制/影响

本论文促进了对 SD 中个体层面的买卖双方紧张关系的理解。它在边界跨越和 SD 的交汇处做出了理论贡献。

实际影响

本文增加了管理者对一系列必要的可持续发展调解活动的了解，并概述了这些活动的展开。

原创性/价值

本文通过创造超越 SD 研究中四个主要趋势的知识来开辟新天地：SD 作为组织层面的行为，SD 作为一组通用的活动，SD 作为一个单一的绩效改进领域，SD 作为一个二元管理任务。