Date

8-29-2025

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Anna Key

Keywords

buyer-supplier relationships, supplier performance management, supplier performance, procurement management, end-term supplier relationships

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

The incumbent research study examines the lived work experiences of buyer-side buyer-supplier relationship managers as they seek to optimize supplier performance while navigating the end-term buyer-supplier relationship. While contemporary literature has explored several topics on supplier performance management and end-term, buyer supplier relationships separately, no research has explored detailing the experiences of supplier relationship managers within this phenomenon. Utilizing a qualitative, phenomenological design with hermeneutical analysis, the incumbent study utilizes multi-stage random sampling techniques to recruit sample participants (N=7) in various industries. Research participants were interviewed on their lived experiences navigating end-term buyer-supplier relationships and how they optimized supplier performance through the end-term of a buyer-supplier relationship. Utilizing text mining and natural language processing techniques, thematic analysis and coding is conducted to extrapolate common themes and findings related to the interviews conducted. Implications of these findings provide real-world, experiential insight into the lived work experiences of supplier relationship managers and the common themes in comparison to contemporary theory and literature surrounding supplier performance management. Limitations to this study include overarching generalizability and applicability of these findings across industries and geographical cultural differences inherent to organizational environments. Areas of future research include analysis into supplier perspectives and other stages of the buyer-supplier relationship lifecycle.

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