130
RELATIONSHIP CHARACTERISTICS
In last year’s report we defined the key characteristics of productive and well aligned strategic supplier relationships. They were: › › Open and transparent › › Innovative › › Strategically and culturally aligned › › Trusting › › Collaborative › › Behaviourally mature Our questions in this section of our research survey were designed to understand the degree to which these characteristics exist and are being developed. In order to test and validate the buy side responses we have put more emphasis on sell side responses in this section. Open and transparent Most successful relationships – not just in the supply chain – are characterised by open- ness, transparency and a high level of information sharing. Compared to last year the type of information regularly shared with key suppliers has seen a return to the more operational. Performance data, demand and forecast information and organisations charts are the types of information most commonly shared and these have remained constant . But what must be of concern is the indication that organisations are sharing strategic information less frequently compared to 2012 .
Figure 6.0. Types of information shared with key suppliers – buy side
16% 19% 38% 36% 51% 65% 62% 66% 70% 66%
72%
DEMAND AND FORECAST DATA SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE DATA
1
62%
53%
RELATIONSHIP STRATEGY END CUSTOMER NEEDS STRATEGIC PLANS ORGANISATION CHARTS
49% 49%
36%
2
31%
SALES TARGETS NEW PRODUCT DESIGNS MARKET INFORMATION PRODUCT / SERVICE / TECHNOLOGY ROADMAPS
26%
15%
10%
Sharing strategic information with key suppliers is mutually beneficial in a direct business sense and also as a very tangible way to demonstrate openness and trust in a relation- ship. This feedback is a clear indicator that progress cannot be taken for granted as a reluctance to share information will quickly undermine confidence in relationships. Organisations need tomake conscious choices about what information to share, rather than default to a share nothing position. A good indicator is the governance meeting agenda to check and ensure that the appropriate subjects are being covered. Another consideration is how technology is used as a means of communicating and sharing information.
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