An organisation‐level framework for the NZ food industry – its development and application

To identify the key determinants of successful vendor managed inventory (VMI) and strategic supply chain relationships in the New Zealand (NZ) food industry.

The research primarily used action research, supported by a literature review, triangulation and case studies from other industries and countries.

Eight key factors impacting the success of organisation‐level VMI and strategic supply chain relationships were identified. These were integrated into a framework that provides a model for practitioners to follow when establishing VMI and strategic supply chain relationships in the NZ food industry.

This research was conducted using action research in the NZ food industry. As a result, these research findings may need to be modified and further adapted before applying to less concentrated food industries in other countries.

Practical guidelines are provided for practitioners who wish to improve their organisation's supply chain activities through VMI and strategic supply chain relationships.

The key outcome was a working model that identifies the key determinants of successful VMI and strategic supply chain relationships in the NZ food industry, at an organisation‐level. A secondary outcome was the contribution to knowledge from an action research perspective.