Supplier integration in complex delivery projects: Comparison between different buyer–supplier relationships

Research on project procurement management has centered on identifying the right suppliers and managing contracts to allocate risks and responsibilities. However, working with suppliers requires continuous integration activities from the buyer during project execution. This paper asks how buyers integrate their suppliers to the project organization during project execution, and how different types of buyer–supplier relationships differ in their supplier integration. We collected interview data in two complex delivery projects, both unique in their buyer–supplier relationships. We explored supplier integration practices from both the buyer’s and the supplier’s perspective, and sought cross-case differences possibly attributable to the different inter-organizational relationships. Based on the analysis, the nature of the buyer–supplier relationship appears to be associated with the type of integration practices used. The results of the study have implications on how supplier integration should be configured in different buyer–supplier relationships.