Research in business service purchasing: current status and directions for the future

Erik Hofmann (), Joël Henri Brunner () and Elmar Holschbach ()
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Erik Hofmann: Institute of Supply Chain Management, University of St. Gallen
Joël Henri Brunner: Institute of Supply Chain Management, University of St. Gallen
Elmar Holschbach: South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences

Management Review Quarterly, 2020, vol. 70, issue 3, No 5, 460 pages

Abstract: Abstract This paper provides a systematic literature review and a future research agenda on the topic of purchasing of business services (BuSe). BuSe purchasing has increasingly gained in importance during the past years. It has established itself as a relevant sub-discipline in purchasing and supply management. This “state of research” paper identifies the main authors, relevant topics and practical implications as well as upcoming developments. For this purpose, 118 publications were collected and analyzed. While early research on BuSe purchasing was strongly influenced by the American marketing literature, more recent papers are also published by European authors and institutions coming from the core of the purchasing and supply management discipline. In general, the literature lacks in theoretical foundation and longitudinal methods while assuming high generalizability. Based on the analyses and additional discussions within the research team, directions for future research are identified at a political, economic, social and technological (PEST) level. The following trends for service purchasing were elaborated: (1) “Glocalisation” and near-shoring, (2) sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR), (3) internal and external collaboration, (4) value-driven contract and payment systems, (5) hybrid products and servitization, and (6) big data analytics, artificial intelligence and process automation.

Keywords: Systematic literature review; Buying; Procurement; Sourcing; Machine learning; Blockchain; Performance based contracting; Digitalization; Industry 4.0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L14 L24 L80 M10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11301-019-00172-7

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