Strategic purchasing participation, supplier selection, supplier evaluation and purchasing performance

In this article, we examine how purchasing’s strategic participation influences supply management activities via the choice of appropriate operational and strategic criteria. Specifically, the study focuses on supplier selection and monitoring ongoing supplier performance evaluation based on operational and strategic criteria. A combination of choosing appropriate supplier selection criteria and monitoring supplier performance ensures that the benefits of purchasing’s participation in strategic planning translate into better purchasing performance of cost, quality, delivery, flexibility and innovation. We test the hypotheses using survey data collected from manufacturing companies in the US by means of a path model. Our results provide support for the tenet that purchasing’s participation in strategic planning influences purchasing performance directly as well as through the mediating effects of supplier selection criteria and supplier performance evaluation. We discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings and propose directions for further research.