How systematic quality control affects suppliers socioeconomic sustainability and the stability of the buyersupplier relationship: a case of the garment industry in Bangladesh

Although the extant literature addresses tensions in buyer-supplier relationships (BSRs), limited attention has been paid to understanding how systematic quality control (SQC) practices can reduce these tensions by increasing sustainability in the supplier’s business, thereby maintaining a stable BSR. To address this gap, this paper aims to investigate how SQC improves product quality and sustainability performance in supplier firms, which eventually leads to a stable BSR. Adopting a qualitative research approach, data are collected from one Danish buyer and four of their key garment suppliers in Bangladesh. Basic quality control tools are then applied to conduct a root cause analysis. This study explores how SQC practices influence BSR stability by enhancing the suppliers’ economic returns. It also examines how these practices enhance social performance by increasing monetary and non-monetary benefits. Hereby, SQC practices are shown to drive supplier firms’ economic and social sustainability, leading to a stable BSR.