出版社：Richards College of Business, University of West Georgia
摘要：Becoming a Wal-Mart supplier is not easy, especially for smaller firms. This paper explores the critical factors for small sporting goods manufacturers who want to be mass merchandising suppliers. Using results from a supplier screening program, we find that product/market risk (e.g.— payback period, investment costs), market readiness (e.g.— market demand and acceptance), and management experience in key functional areas are the factors that satisfy the most basic qualities that Wal-Mart and similar mass retailers demand. Successful firms in this study: those sent on to Wal-Mart for buyer review, had products that were less risky, less dependent on marketing, and more competitive in the marketplace than their unsuccessful counterparts.
