ABSTRACT
As we noted in the conclusion to Chapter 1, there are four potential power structures for a buyer-supplier exchange. These are buyer dominance, supplier dominance, buyer-supplier interdependence and buyersupplier independence. As we also noted, none of these structures is likely to be permanent. Poorly placed buyers and suppliers will almost certainly attempt, over the longer term, to improve their power position vis-à-vis particular customers or suppliers through product, process or supply chain innovation. Given this probability, we concluded that business success is essentially a function of understanding under which supply chain and market circumstances it is appropriate to use particular operational tools and techniques.
