Information systems in purchasing: the impact on internal customer satisfaction within a quality management framework

Although research has shown how the implementation of Information Systems (IS) can help organisations to improve external customer satisfaction levels, its potential for internal customers remains under examined. Some researchers have suggested that internal satisfaction levels may have a significant impact on a firm's financial performance. However, because Internal Customer Satisfaction (ICS) levels are not predicated by a single factor and are affected by many other management initiatives, each initiative merits analysis. This article empirically examines, within a quality management practice framework, the relationships existing among IS practices in purchasing and ICS. The results obtained support the proposed model and indicate that quality management practices in purchasing and related IS practices have a positive impact on ICS.information systems; internal customer satisfaction; purchasing; quality management; structural equation model; supply chain management; SCM