Vendor-managed inventory as data interchange strategy in the networked collaboration of a Vietnam ship parts supplier and its customers

This research paper explores through a single case study the networked data interchange strategy in supply chain collaboration of an anonymized company in a developing region, hereafter called Ship Parts (SP) Vietnam, a pipes and valves supplier for the shipbuilding industry. Our research applies descriptive analysis approach to examine the question: what are the strategic and technological considerations for information exchange in the various customer collaboration practices in management of the supply chain as networked collaborative relationships? We discuss the role of Electronic Data Interchange exhibited as the practice of Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI) in the case relationships. The names of all key stakeholders in this study are anonymized. We investigate the effects of the IT strategy of SP Vietnam on the social and economic business relationship developed with its customers. An important finding of this case study of networked customer relationships is that they vary in relation to how they practice the logistics of customer supplies. VMI is revealed as enabled by maturing relationships. Achieving quality collaboration is likewise dependent on learning through the customer relationship.