Reference no: EM133319482
Assignment:
Companies such as Boeing, Walmart, General Motors, Amazon continually demand price concessions from their suppliers. Is this a good strategy for these companies? Discuss. How can they get away with making such demands?
• Large companies can develop a bargaining advantage relative to their suppliers
o Such companies are dominant in their industries and continually creating new competitive advantages - creating new opportunities for their most nimble suppliers
o Account for a large proportion of a supplier's revenues
o Provide steady demand for suppliers
o Low credit risks for suppliers who do not get paid immediately upon delivery
• Good strategy because it reinforces their dominance
o Lower prices for key components, parts, sub-assemblies, services than their competitors receive - cost advantage
o Exclusive arrangements foreclose supply opportunities for competitors, forcing competitors to find more costly, less innovative suppliers and possibly more distant suppliers
• Bad strategy if suppliers have a monopoly or dominant position
o Suppliers may not be willing to enter into exclusive arrangements or offer price concessions
o Suppliers may enter into special arrangements with competitors of these companies
o Too costly for these companies to integrate upstream (internalize production and supply of certain components, parts, etc.).