Meeting

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

We are particularly pleased to announce the topic for the February meeting, Strategic Buyer-Supplier Relationship Dissolution: What Can We Learn from the Ford-Firestone Breakup?

Speaker: Ai-Su Chen

Our presenter is Ai-Su Chen, a currently a Ph.D. candidate in Operations and Management Science Department of the Carlson School of Management at University of Minnesota

 

Topic: Strategic Buyer-Supplier Relationship Dissolution: What Can We Learn from the Ford-Firestone Breakup?

The typical manufacturing firm can derive operational and financial benefits from building and maintaining long-term, cooperative relationships with suppliers of critical items. Critical items can be either tangible products or services. Ideally, these strategic buyer-supplier relationships are intended to continue without interruption. In reality, many strategic buyer-supplier relationships are often intentionally and prematurely dissolved.

Pragmatically, there is plenty of advice on how buying firms can develop long-term, cooperative relationships with strategic suppliers. But, when it comes to the topic of strategic buyer-supplier relationships dissolution, there is little guidance either as to how and why strategic buyer-supplier relationships should be dissolved or as to when strategic buyer-supplier relationships should be dissolved.

In this one hour event, we will:

  • Share some preliminary research findings from analyzing the development and dissolution of the strategic buyer-supplier relationship between Ford Motor Company and Bridgestone/Firestone Inc.
  • Invite attendees to participate in a brief exercise, designed to delve deeper into possible reasons that trigger a buyer firm to terminate its business relationship with a strategic supplier of a critical item. Participation in this exercise is, of course, completely voluntary and anonymous.
  • Conclude the presentation by debriefing participants as to three key principles that can prevent the premature termination of a strategic buyer-supplier relationship.
     

Place: Masterson’s Restaurant -- 1830 S 3rd St., Louisville, Kentucky
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Cost: $20.00 Members & Non-members $5.00 Students (ID Required)

Social: 5:30 - 6:00 PM
Business: 6:00 – 6:30 PM
Dinner: 6:30 - 7:00 PM
Speaker: 7:00 - 8:00 PM

Please RSVP by Monday, February 15, 2010, to Dick Scherrer, (502) 722-5626 or Email: dsche40299@aol.com

We hope you will join us for dinner and an informative evening.