ABSTRACT
This chapter reports on extensive field research conducted in the worldwide automobile industry, on the subject of developing close relationships between vehicle manufacturers and their component suppliers. A postal survey was conducted in Europe, Japan and the US in 1993 and 1994, receiving detailed responses from over 1400 suppliers.1 Using a simple definition for supply partnerships, the chapter concludes that suppliers in some regions are observing improved collaborative attitudes on the part of their customers but that the expected benefits from such strategies have yet to be realised. Some reasons are suggested for this. The chapter focuses especially on the UK industry, in comparison with other regions.
