Supply chain management and relational competitive advantage in footwear industry

Abstract

This work investigated the supply chain management contribution to competitive advantage for companies in the footwear industry, with a primary focus on the inter-organizational relationship analysis. It was used an analysis model developed by Viana (2010), whose main theoretical support is given by relational view (DYER; SINGH, 1998). It is an interpretive multiple case study, including two companies that operate in Ceará State. The data analysis procedure used the constant comparison method, with the Atlas/ti software assistance. In general, it is realized that in the buyers-suppliers relationships prevails the partnership and the main assumptions of supply chain management are applied, which contributes for the relational competitive advantage. In the relationships between enterprises and the government and development institutions, tax incentives are the main resource accessed, which contribute for temporary competitive advantage over competitors that do not have production facilities in the Northeast region as well as lead to a competitive parity situation to competitors that have production facilities in the Northeast region and to the external market competitors.