15.9 Discussion and Practice

Search the Internet to find an example of a successful buyer/supplier relationship. Describe the nature and type(s) of integration you see. What motivates the buyer and the supplier to work together? What has each done to make the relationship successful? What capabilities do each bring to the venture?

Now, search for a buyer/supplier integration initiative that failed. What happened? Why? Which of the barriers in Figure 15.3 contributed to the failure?

What attributes and skills does a supply chain coxswain need? Identify a company that relies on its suppliers and identify the types of information it shares to cultivate positive buyer/supplier relationships. Do you see any evidence of a "cadence call" being used? Describe the evidence. What would happen if this systematic sharing were to end?

Think back to the last substantial product you bought—say $100 or more. Brainstorm how suppliers may have contributed to the unique features of the product. Think about how the NPD process for this product might have looked like. How could suppliers have contributed at different stages of the NPD process?

We introduced you to the NPD process and the Stage-Gate process. Why is a stage-gate process so important to NPD success? What are the most substantive and intractable issues that impede the NPD process?

Revisit Figure 15.1. Why do you think there are so many suppliers for a single car? Wouldn't it be easier to have fewer suppliers? Can you find an example where a major OEM (e.g., Ford, Nissan, or Mercedes) made supply-base rationalization a strategic priority? How did your OEM do this? What role did supplier integration play in helping the auto OEM become more competitive?