Buyer-supplier relationships in the Turkish automotive industry

Purpose-Using a baseline model of buyer-supplier relationships, the study aims to identify the types of relationships in the Turkish automotive industry, and to test predictions as to how these relations would differ across contextual, managerial, and social climate variables. Design/methodology/approach-Questionnaire data from 51 buyers in automaker firms and 72 supplier firms were subjected to K-means cluster analyses to establish relationship groups in the two samples. Differences across the groups were tested using A-NOVA and Scheffe tests. Findings-Three relationship types (captive supplier, market exchange, and strategic partnership) were identified both in the buyer and supplier data. Significant differences were observed in terms of contextual (product and supplier characteristics), managerial (information exchange and cooperation), and social climate variables (mutual understanding, payoff equity, and satisfaction). Turkish buyers were found to strategically segment their suppliers based on product and supplier characteristics, whereas supplier groups were differentiated along social climate variables. Research limitations/implications-The Turkish results differ somewhat from the ones for developed countries, which suggests that more work should be conducted in emerging economies. Future research that uses matched pairs of buyers and suppliers may provide in-depth insights. Practical implications-The results demonstrated a perception (hence, communication) gap between buyers and suppliers in how they differentiated relationship types. Strategic partnership led to cooperation in both samples, and to satisfaction, mutual understanding, and equity in the supplier sample. Originality/value-This study used data from both parties, contrasted buyer-supplier relationships in an emerging market with those in developed markets, and highlighted the effects of the industry's historical evolution on the present state of buyer-supplier relationships.