Title

Selecting and developing suppliers for mass merchandisers

Abstract

This paper intends to examine various product and management characteristics of small manufacturing enterprises (SME) to determine critical factors that award qualified suppliers of mass merchandising companies. About 1700 small manufacturers participated in a program that determined their readiness to enter the mass merchandising market. The assessment instrument collected 34 questions for a firm assessment rating (FAR) of their management practices, 41 items for product evaluation rating (PER), and two items for the overall quality of the firm and its product. The model was very successful in predicting if the product would be recommended to the mass retailers. It was also able to identify nine critical factors that determine the selection of the SME's product and help to develop desirable suppliers for mass merchandisers.

Department(s)

Finance and General Business
Management

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMTM.2005.007704

Keywords

Artificial intelligence, Supplier development, Supplier selection

Publication Date

1-1-2005

Journal Title

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management

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