Contracting for Road Maintenance in the Netherlands—The Downside of Performance-Based Contracting

A trend towards performance-based contracting (PBC) can be observed in public infrastructure maintenance. PBC is an approach of tying the contractor’s payment to specified performance. We investigated PBC for the maintenance of highways and roads in the Netherlands, identifying issues ultimately resulting in poor contractor performance. The PBC-induced risks for clients relate to the problematic translation and measurement of specifications, the ineffectiveness of incentives, the avoidance of contractors taking full responsibility, and contract management issues. Clients should recognize the actual balance of power in the relationship with their (main) contractors, and take appropriate measures

Buyer opportunism in strategic supplier relationships:Triggers, manifestations and consequences

Opportunistic behavior is a well-known reason for the failure of collaborative buyer-supplier relationships. Despite the numerous studies on opportunism in buyersupplier relationships, the individual level is largely understudied. We explore opportunistic behavior of purchasing professionals in strategic supplier relationships, focusing on triggers, manifestations and consequences. The Critical Incident Technique (CIT) was employed to interview professional purchasers in the Netherlands about their personal opportunistic behavior. This resulted in rich descriptions of 29 critical incidents of opportunistic buyer behavior, extracting first-hand information. We identified triggers that provoked purchasing professionals to behave opportunistically. These triggers are linked to specific manifestations and consequences

Blockchain technology in supply chains

Aim: Blockchain technology (BCT) is a relatively new technological development, promising strong gains in the areas of product traceability and visibility, end-to-end coordination (E2E), governance, and efficiency of supply chains. The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of the impact of BCT on these performance measures. Design / Research methods: Hypotheses were tested with survey data from 119 supply chain professionals from Northern American SMEs. Conclusions / findings: The results confirm the positive impacts of BCT on all performance measures. E2E coordination is the integration of information, goods, and money within an organisation or supply chain. E2E coordination appeared to benefit from the use of BCT, enabling information sharing in a safe way. The findings suggest that BCT use fosters E2E coordination, which in its turn also positively affects financial performance. Originality / value of the article: Despite the increasing interest in and use of, BCT, there is little empirical evidence for the effect on supply chain performance. Many studies are anecdotal and lack empirical evidence. Implications of the research (if applicable): Companies should acknowledge the impact of BCT use on the various supply chain performance measures. Implementing and using BCT is likely to foster improvement in a wide range of performance indicators.   Limitations of the research  (if applicable): Companies use different types, versions, varieties, and forks of blockchain, all having their own strong and weak points. Future studies could investigate and include the nuances within different forks of BCT