Strongest Drivers of Trust in Automotive Supply Chains

Tolmay Aletta (), Sumei Van Antwerpen () and Dirkse Van Schalkwyk Riaan ()
Additional contact information
Tolmay Aletta: University of South Africa/Department of Operations Management, Pretoria, South Africa
Sumei Van Antwerpen: University of South Africa/Department of Operations Management, Pretoria, South Africa
Dirkse Van Schalkwyk Riaan: University of South Africa/Department of Operations Management, Pretoria, South Africa

Logistics, Supply Chain, Sustainability and Global Challenges, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 45-56

Abstract: The issue addressed in this paper concerns the erosion of trust within supply chains, as reported by key industry stakeholders. In this context, automotive component buyers frequently rely on single-source suppliers, thereby intensifying competitive pressures on component manufacturers. Consequently, automotive component suppliers must seek to strengthen supplier relationships to enhance trust. Given the limited opportunities for differentiation, automotive component suppliers increasingly pursue alternative strategies to ensure their long-term sustainability, with a particular emphasis on value-driven supplier relationships founded on trust. Existing literature suggests that optimised supplier relationships contribute to trust-building. This study employs a quantitative approach, utilising path analysis to identify the relationship value construct exhibiting the strongest correlation with trust. The findings indicate a significant correlation between product quality and delivery, suggesting that the timely and accurate delivery of products is the most critical factor in fostering trust between buyers and suppliers. Additionally, the analysis reveals that the most statistically significant aspect of relationship value is product quality and delivery. The paper concludes with theoretical and managerial recommendations, including the implementation of a relational governance strategy within automotive supply chains to strengthen trust and enhance long-term sustainability.

Keywords: supply chain relationships; buyer-seller relationships; South African automotive industry; relationship governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://doi.org/10.2478/jlst-2025-0004 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:vrs:losutr:v:16:y:2025:i:1:p:45-56:n:1004

DOI: 10.2478/jlst-2025-0004

Access Statistics for this article

Logistics, Supply Chain, Sustainability and Global Challenges is currently edited by Maja Fošner

More articles in Logistics, Supply Chain, Sustainability and Global Challenges from Sciendo
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Peter Golla ().