A Theory of the Nexus Supplier: A Critical Supplier From A Network Perspective
提出一种新型关键供应商：连接点供应商，它因在多层级供应网络中的位置和关系组合而变得重要，并分类三种理想类型及其对采购企业运营绩效的影响。
We introduce a new type of critical supplier—the nexus supplier—that becomes evident when we consider suppliers from a network perspective. The extant literature focuses on the importance of strategic suppliers and identifies strategic suppliers as critical due to their significant impact on a buying firm's profit and risk position. These strategic suppliers are considered one‐at‐a‐time and tend to be top‐tier suppliers. In contrast, a nexus supplier can come from anywhere in a multitier supply network and is critical due to its network position and the resultant portfolio of interorganizational ties. In this study, we offer a theory of the nexus supplier by integrating the supply management and social network literature. The theory is presented in the form of typologies, which articulate three ideal types of nexus suppliers and how they distinctively influence a focal buying firm's operational performance. We use real‐world examples to build our arguments. We discuss implications of the nexus supplier for both theory and practice.