Drivers and barriers of supply chain integration: A qualitative study on a multinational firm

In this study, it is examined the drivers and barriers of the external integration (supplier and customer) of a local production company affiliated with a multinational structure. In this context, information and relationship elements, which are the two prominent elements in supply chain integration, are considered as the supply chain stage. This study which deals with integration at the level of information and relationship is designed as a basic qualitative research in order to achieve the aim of the study. Purposeful sampling approach is adopted in the determination of the sample of the study. In this context, three departments (purchasing, sales and logistics) of a local production company affiliated to a multinational structure are taken into consideration in order to reveal the entire supply chain structure. A total of 7487 e-mails are examined in the study, in which the e-mail correspondence of these three departments with suppliers, customers and logistics service providers is handled as a data collection tool. Along with these documents, it is ensured that the company participated in the weekly meetings held as an observer. "Quantitative and Qualitative Content Analysis" techniques are used in the study in order to reveal the drivers and barriers of relational and information integration between the partners. As a result of the analysis of the data, many elements are defined at the level of relationship and information in the context of external integration. Although there are differences between supplier relational integration and customer relational integration; it has been determined that there are common points between supplier information integration and customer information integration. It is seen that the company's relations with its suppliers and the information sharing are progressing at a very technical level. However, providing additional information about working together, sharing, collaborating, basic, detailed and delivery on the customer side shows that the developed relationship is more flexible. In information integration, it is seen that providing incomplete and incorrect information in correspondence with both suppliers and customers are prominent barriers. In studies on relational integration in the literature, it can be mentioned that components such as trust and commitment are mostly prominent. However, in this study, it is emphasized the components such as feedback, collaboration, and regulation in relational integration. It is thought that trust and commitment are formed by the presence of these components, that is, they should be considered as an output rather than an input in relational integration. Based on the studies that emphasize the importance of information sharing and content in the literature in information integration studies, it has been proven in this thesis that the quality and content of information is effective and important both on the supplier and customer side. Finally, in the context of the relational view approach used for the theoretical framework of the thesis, it is seen that the results that will contribute to the relation-specific assets and complementary resources from the relational view mechanisms.