The influence of product type on the purchasing structure

This article reports on the influence of product type on the purchasing structure within selected phases of the purchasing process by using regression analysis on data from Greek manufacturing and utility enterprises. Our study examined the influence of two different categories of items, namely product incorporated items and MRO (maintenance, repair and operating) items, on various aspects of the purchasing cycle. The results suggested that parameters of purchasing structure varied considerably between the two product types and that their configuration depended on attributes such as product complexity and environmental uncertainty.