Innovation in Buyer–Supplier Relationships: A Review of Relationship Characteristics and Directions for Future Research
The increased reliance on external suppliers for generating new product and process innovation has resulted in a growing number of studies on supply chain innovation (SCI). This growing body of research, however, utilizes diverse theoretical perspectives to examine constructs relevant to SCI and has generated fragmented findings on the facilitators of SCI. In particular, although a large number of SCIs occur in a buyer–supplier relationship, the relationship characteristics that foster innovation generation remain unclear. The current study synthesizes the existing literature on innovation in buyer–supplier relationships and provides a comprehensive framework that highlights the key characteristics of a buyer–supplier relationship that foster SCIs. The study also aims to identify new opportunities for future research regarding innovation generation involving upstream suppliers.