Business Relationships for Competitive Advantage

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

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2. Business Relationship Management in Theory and Practice

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. Current Approaches to the Analysis of Business Relationships

      • Andrew Cox, Chris Lonsdale, Joe Sanderson, Glyn Watson

      Pages 3-31

   3. Power, Leverage and the Strategic Purposes of Business Relationships

      • Andrew Cox, Chris Lonsdale, Joe Sanderson, Glyn Watson

      Pages 32-51

   4. The Operational Means for Successful Business Relationship Management

      • Andrew Cox, Chris Lonsdale, Joe Sanderson, Glyn Watson

      Pages 52-94

   5. A Framework for the Alignment of Buyer and Supplier Relationships

      • Andrew Cox, Chris Lonsdale, Joe Sanderson, Glyn Watson

      Pages 95-131

3. Alignment and Misalignment in Business Relationship Management

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 133-133

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   2. Cases in Aligned Buyer and Supplier Relationship Management

      • Andrew Cox, Chris Lonsdale, Joe Sanderson, Glyn Watson

      Pages 135-162

   3. Cases in Misaligned and Sub-Optimal Buyer and Supplier Relationship Management

      • Andrew Cox, Chris Lonsdale, Joe Sanderson, Glyn Watson

      Pages 163-192

   4. Cases in Dysfunctional Buyer and Supplier Relationship Management

      • Andrew Cox, Chris Lonsdale, Joe Sanderson, Glyn Watson

      Pages 193-222

4. Decision Support Tools for Improving Business Relationships

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 223-223

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   2. A Way Forward for Managers

      • Andrew Cox, Chris Lonsdale, Joe Sanderson, Glyn Watson

      Pages 225-238

5. Back Matter

   Pages 239-246

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This book provides the first summary and critical appraisal of the thinking that currently informs the management of business relationships, from the perspectives of both the buyer and supplier. The authors argue that these approaches are one-dimensional and instead recommend a more holistic approach based on power, interaction and portfolio perspectives. The book provides evidence of how relationships can be aligned and misaligned in practice, using eighteen examples drawn from a variety of business cases and circumstances.

• business
• management
• Portfolio
• relationship management

• Centre for Business Strategy and Procurement in the Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham, UK

  Andrew Cox

• Birmingham Business School, UK

  Chris Lonsdale, Joe Sanderson, Glyn Watson

ANDREW COX is CIPS Professor of Business Strategy and Procurement at Birmingham University Business School. He is also Chairman of Robertson Cox Ltd, a competence development consultancy.

CHRIS LONSDALE is Lecturer in Supply Chain Management at the University of Birmingham and has worked with a number of private and public sector organisations.

JOE SANDERSON is Lecturer in Supply Chain Management and Deputy Director of the CBSP.

GLYN WATSON is Lecturer in Supply Chain Management in the CBSP.

Together they have co-authored of a number of books on the subject.

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