Controlling the delivery of outsourced services in asymmetrical supply chains

Services are increasingly outsourced. When outsourced services are directly delivered to the final customer by the supplier, the buying company lacks direct control over the delivery of the service. The purpose of this study is to expand theory on control over service delivery in supply chains. A case study methodology is used to study a buying company and its suppliers in an asymmetrical supply chain. Buying companies are found to be able to control asymmetrical chains by focusing on the order phase, which leads to a number of propositions