Managing relationships in Russian companies: Results of an empirical study

Abstract

The paper represents the first results of an empirical study, conducted on the sample of 208 Russian companies in different industries. The aim of the paper is to contribute to the understanding of current level of strategic maturity in Russian companies in the sphere of supply chain management. The study investigates the validity of the strategic approaches to purchasing in contrast with operational focus with respect to modern Russian markets. We apply the IMP group approach and identify the main clusters of the firms on the base of their approach to the buying strategy and purchasing capabilities development. This study is regarded as the first phase of the complex survey on supply chain management in Russia, analyzing the level of development of managerial technologies and purchasing capabilities in Russian firms. The first stage of this study is built upon partly replication of the purchasing survey, developed and conducted at Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland), and represents the basis for further comparative analysis of results and findings.