Supply Chain Relationships Aren’t So Dangerous

Abstract

This paper analyzes how, using the integration strategy, the relationships in a supply chain can be hepful for their members ́ logistics, marketing and even corporative performance. With the “Arcs of Integration” we study the influence of the extension and direction of this integration (upstream or downstream) in a sample of 99 companies belonging to an industrial district. Evidence shows clearly that the widest Arc gets better results. All this induces us to suggest a context of future research that allows to widen our knowledge of these relationships, as well as a series of administrative implications to help business leaders not to see the relationships of the supply chain as something dangerous.