IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/ormsom/v23y2021i2p.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Direct Sourcing or Agent Sourcing? Contract Negotiation in Procurement Outsourcing

Author

Listed:
  • Yulan Wang

    (Faculty of Business, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong;)

  • Baozhuang Niu

    (School of Business Administration, South China University of Technology, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510641, China;)

  • Pengfei Guo

    (Faculty of Business, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong;)

  • Jing-Sheng Song

    (Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708)

Abstract

Problem definition : In a supply network consisting of a buyer, a purchasing agent, and a supplier, the buyer can procure the component from the supplier directly and rely on the purchasing agent for complementary services (named direct sourcing ( DS )) or authorize the purchasing agent to conduct both procurement and complementary services (named agent sourcing ( AS )). When parties bargain pairwisely, how do their bargaining powers influence the equilibrium procurement outsourcing structure? Academic/practical relevance : Both outsourcing structures, DS and AS are commonly observed in practice, whereas the literature has rarely answered the questions that we ask. Methodology : We adopt the generalized Nash bargaining framework to model the negotiations among the parties and derive the corresponding equilibrium outcomes under both outsourcing structures by taking into consideration the existence of a component spot market. Results : When two parties negotiate directly, we define their direct negotiation coefficient as the ratio of their exogenous bilateral relative bargaining powers. If they negotiate indirectly through a third party, we define their indirect negotiation coefficient as the quotient of their respective direct negotiation coefficients with respect to the third party. We show that when parties negotiate over both wholesale prices and quantities, the buyer’s preference for DS and AS solely depends on the comparison result of the buyer’s direct negotiation coefficient versus the indirect one with respect to the supplier. When the quantity is determined by the buyer and parties negotiate over wholesale prices, the equilibrium outsourcing structure hinges critically upon the magnitude of the purchasing agent’s relative bargaining power over the supplier. Interestingly, the preferences of the three parties for DS and AS may be aligned with each other. We also show that it is in the best interest of the buyer to negotiate prices only. Managerial implications : Our research identifies the endogenous bargaining powers among parties that dictate the equilibrium outsourcing structure. It indicates that the buyer needs to adjust procurement outsourcing decisions accordingly when the bargaining powers of the buyer’s upstream partners are altered, especially when the buyer’s bargaining power is sufficiently large: we analytically show that the buyer’s preference is very sensitive to the relative bargaining powers of the purchasing agent and the supplier. This might help explain why Walmart switched from AS with Li & Fung to DS within just three years.

Suggested Citation

  • Yulan Wang & Baozhuang Niu & Pengfei Guo & Jing-Sheng Song, 2021. "Direct Sourcing or Agent Sourcing? Contract Negotiation in Procurement Outsourcing," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 23(2), pages 294-310, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormsom:v:23:y:2021:i:2:p:
    DOI: 10.1287/msom.2019.0843
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2019.0843
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/msom.2019.0843?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Guo, Pengfei & Song, Jing-Sheng & Wang, Yulan, 2010. "Outsourcing structures and information flow in a three-tier supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(1), pages 175-187, November.
    2. Ying-Ju Chen & Mingcherng Deng & Ke-Wei Huang, 2014. "Hierarchical Screening for Capacity Allocation in Supply Chains: The Role of Distributors," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 23(3), pages 405-419, March.
    3. Davidson, Carl, 1988. "Multiunit Bargaining in Oligopolistic Industries," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 6(3), pages 397-422, July.
    4. Sodhi, ManMohan S. & Tang, Christopher S., 2013. "Strategies and tactics of Chinese contract manufacturers and western OEMs (2001–2011)," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(1), pages 14-24.
    5. Qi Feng & Guoming Lai & Lauren Xiaoyuan Lu, 2015. "Dynamic Bargaining in a Supply Chain with Asymmetric Demand Information," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(2), pages 301-315, February.
    6. Xiangfeng Chen & Gangshu (George) Cai & Jing-Sheng Song, 2019. "The Cash Flow Advantages of 3PLs as Supply Chain Orchestrators," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 21(2), pages 435-451, May.
    7. Galperti, Simone, 2015. "Common agency with informed principals: Menus and signals," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 648-667.
    8. Mahesh Nagarajan & Yehuda Bassok, 2008. "A Bargaining Framework in Supply Chains: The Assembly Problem," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 54(8), pages 1482-1496, August.
    9. Başak Kalkancı & Feryal Erhun, 2012. "Pricing Games and Impact of Private Demand Information in Decentralized Assembly Systems," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 60(5), pages 1142-1156, October.
    10. Qi Feng & Lauren Xiaoyuan Lu, 2012. "The Strategic Perils of Low Cost Outsourcing," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 58(6), pages 1196-1210, June.
    11. Wang, Yulan & Zipkin, Paul, 2009. "Agents' incentives under buy-back contracts in a two-stage supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(2), pages 525-539, August.
    12. Fernando Bernstein & Gregory A. DeCroix, 2004. "Decentralized Pricing and Capacity Decisions in a Multitier System with Modular Assembly," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(9), pages 1293-1308, September.
    13. Ehsan Bolandifar & Panos Kouvelis & Fuqiang Zhang, 2016. "Delegation vs. Control in Supply Chain Procurement under Competition," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 25(9), pages 1528-1541, September.
    14. Suh, Sang-Chul & Wen, Quan, 2006. "Multi-agent bilateral bargaining and the Nash bargaining solution," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 61-73, February.
    15. Martin A. Lariviere, 2006. "A Note on Probability Distributions with Increasing Generalized Failure Rates," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 54(3), pages 602-604, June.
    16. Dilip Mookherjee, 2006. "Decentralization, Hierarchies, and Incentives: A Mechanism Design Perspective," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 44(2), pages 367-390, June.
    17. Vernon N. Hsu & Guoming Lai & Baozhuang Niu & Wenqiang Xiao, 2017. "Leader-Based Collective Bargaining: Cooperation Mechanism and Incentive Analysis," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 19(1), pages 72-83, February.
    18. Kalyan Chatterjee & Hamid Sabourian, 2000. "Multiperson Bargaining and Strategic Complexity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 68(6), pages 1491-1510, November.
    19. Baron, David P & Besanko, David, 1992. "Information, Control, and Organizational Structure," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 1(2), pages 237-275, Summer.
    20. Mingming Leng & Mahmut Parlar, 2009. "Allocation of Cost Savings in a Three-Level Supply Chain with Demand Information Sharing: A Cooperative-Game Approach," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 57(1), pages 200-213, February.
    21. Jiayan Xu & Vernon N. Hsu & Baozhuang Niu, 2018. "The Impacts of Markets and Tax on a Multinational Firm's Procurement Strategy in China," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 27(2), pages 251-264, February.
    22. Nagarajan, Mahesh & Sosic, Greys, 2008. "Game-theoretic analysis of cooperation among supply chain agents: Review and extensions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 187(3), pages 719-745, June.
    23. Tsay, Andy A., 2014. "Designing and Controlling the Outsourced Supply Chain," Foundations and Trends(R) in Technology, Information and Operations Management, now publishers, vol. 7(1-2), pages 1-160, July.
    24. Nash, John, 1950. "The Bargaining Problem," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 18(2), pages 155-162, April.
    25. Gérard P. Cachon, 2004. "The Allocation of Inventory Risk in a Supply Chain: Push, Pull, and Advance-Purchase Discount Contracts," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(2), pages 222-238, February.
    26. Qi Feng & J. George Shanthikumar, 2018. "Posted Pricing vs. Bargaining in Sequential Selling Process," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 66(1), pages 92-103, 1-2.
    27. Esther Gal‐Or, 1999. "Mergers and Exclusionary Practices in Health Care Markets," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(3), pages 315-350, September.
    28. Cai, Hongbin, 2000. "Delay in Multilateral Bargaining under Complete Information," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 260-276, August.
    29. Henrick Horn & Asher Wolinsky, 1988. "Bilateral Monopolies and Incentives for Merger," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 19(3), pages 408-419, Autumn.
    30. Jason Amaral & Corey A. Billington & Andy A. Tsay, 2006. "Safeguarding the Promise of Production Outsourcing," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 36(3), pages 220-233, June.
    31. David P. Baron & David Besanko, 1992. "Information, Control, and Organizational Structure," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 1(2), pages 237-275, June.
    32. Peter G. Helmberger & Sidney Hoos, 1963. "Economic Theory of Bargaining in Agriculture," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 45(5), pages 1272-1280.
    33. Mark E. Ferguson, 2003. "When to commit in a serial supply chain with forecast updating," Naval Research Logistics (NRL), John Wiley & Sons, vol. 50(8), pages 917-936, December.
    34. Lingxiu Dong & Kaijie Zhu, 2007. "Two-Wholesale-Price Contracts: Push, Pull, and Advance-Purchase Discount Contracts," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 9(3), pages 291-311, January.
    35. Cuihong Li & Fuqiang Zhang, 2013. "Advance Demand Information, Price Discrimination, and Preorder Strategies," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 15(1), pages 57-71, September.
    36. Mark E. Ferguson & Gregory A. DeCroix & Paul H. Zipkin, 2005. "Commitment decisions with partial information updating," Naval Research Logistics (NRL), John Wiley & Sons, vol. 52(8), pages 780-795, December.
    37. Enis Kayis & Feryal Erhun & Erica L. Plambeck, 2013. "Delegation vs. Control of Component Procurement Under Asymmetric Cost Information and Simple Contracts," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 15(1), pages 45-56, April.
    38. Vernon N. Hsu & Guoming Lai & Baozhuang Niu & Wenqiang Xiao, 2017. "Leader-Based Collective Bargaining: Cooperation Mechanism and Incentive Analysis," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 19(1), pages 72-83, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mandal, Prasenjit & Jain, Tarun, 2023. "When do competing retailers benefit from sourcing through an intermediary?," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    2. Qi Feng & Chengzhang Li & Mengshi Lu & J. George Shanthikumar, 2022. "Implementing Environmental and Social Responsibility Programs in Supply Networks Through Multiunit Bilateral Negotiation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(4), pages 2579-2599, April.
    3. Vernon N. Hsu & Guoming Lai & Baozhuang Niu & Wenqiang Xiao, 2017. "Leader-Based Collective Bargaining: Cooperation Mechanism and Incentive Analysis," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 19(1), pages 72-83, February.
    4. Goker Aydin & H. Sebastian Heese, 2015. "Bargaining for an Assortment," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(3), pages 542-559, March.
    5. Niu, Baozhuang & Chen, Lei & Zhuo, Xiaopo & Yue, Xiaohang, 2018. "Does buy-back induce more fashion sub-sourcing? Contract property and performance analysis," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 22-37.
    6. Bin Hu & Anyan Qi, 2018. "Optimal Procurement Mechanisms for Assembly," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 20(4), pages 655-666, October.
    7. Kanglin Chen & Xin Wang & Baozhuang Niu & Ying‐Ju Chen, 2022. "The impact of tariffs and price premiums of locally manufactured products on global manufacturers' sourcing strategies," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(9), pages 3474-3490, September.
    8. Deng, Sijing & Xu, Jiayan, 2023. "Manufacturing and procurement outsourcing strategies of competing original equipment manufacturers," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 308(2), pages 884-896.
    9. Niu, Baozhuang & Mu, Zihao, 2020. "Sustainable efforts, procurement outsourcing, and channel co-opetition in emerging markets," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    10. Yang, Huixiao & Chen, Wenbo, 2020. "Game modes and investment cost locations in radio-frequency identification (RFID) adoption," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 286(3), pages 883-896.
    11. Matsui, Kenji, 2020. "Optimal bargaining timing of a wholesale price for a manufacturer with a retailer in a dual-channel supply chain," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 287(1), pages 225-236.
    12. Yuhong He & Saibal Ray & Shuya Yin, 2022. "Retail power in distribution channels: A double‐edged sword for upstream suppliers," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(6), pages 2681-2694, June.
    13. Chen, Xu & He, Jinzhe & Wang, Xiaojun, 2024. "Effects of product substitutability and power relationships on performance in triadic supply chains," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    14. LI, Li, 2019. "Cooperative purchasing and preactive inventory sharing – Channel balancing and performance improvement," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 278(3), pages 738-751.
    15. Li, Li & Jiang, Li, 2022. "Saving costs and improving selling through competitor cooperation in sourcing," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 302(3), pages 970-982.
    16. Xie, Lei & Liu, Yunping & Han, Hongshuai & (Martin) Qiu, Chun, 2023. "Outsourcing or reshoring? A manufacturer's sourcing strategy in the presence of government subsidy," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 308(1), pages 131-149.
    17. Niu, Baozhuang & Chen, Lei & Zhang, Jie, 2017. "Punishing or subsidizing? Regulation analysis of sustainable fashion procurement strategies," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 81-96.
    18. Zhuo, Xiaopo & Wang, Fan & Niu, Baozhuang, 2021. "Brand-owners’ vertical and horizontal alliance strategies facing dominant retailers: Effect of demand substitutability and complementarity," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    19. Qi Feng & Yuanchen Li & J. George Shanthikumar, 2022. "Negotiations in Competing Supply Chains: The Kalai-Smorodinsky Bargaining Solution," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(8), pages 5868-5890, August.
    20. Enis Kayis & Feryal Erhun & Erica L. Plambeck, 2013. "Delegation vs. Control of Component Procurement Under Asymmetric Cost Information and Simple Contracts," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 15(1), pages 45-56, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:ormsom:v:23:y:2021:i:2:p:. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.