RELATIONSHIPS

This paper investigates how companies develop and use information systems to support collaboration with their supply chain partners. For this purpose the case study approach is adopted and used to analyze empirical data collected from eight collaborative buyer-supplier relationships. As a result of the study three profiles â internal foci, external foci, and supply chain foci â were identified from the data to represent the manner in which the companies develop and use information systems to support collaboration with their supply chain partners. The findings further emphasize that companies should consider whether the focus of their information systems development and use addresses the present as well as the future needs for supporting collaboration with their supply chain partners