| This research study reviewed the literature on strategic purchasing, strategic management and supplier management to develop a model of factors that influence strategic purchasing. A number of academics and purchasing executives provided input to the development of the model as well. Strategic purchasing was defined as the process of planning, evaluating, implementing, and controlling strategic and operating purchasing decisions. Further, strategic purchasing implied that purchasing directs all of its activities in a manner that is consistent with achieving the firm's long-term goals.;Structural equation modeling was used to test the model. The research findings supported three hypothesized causal relationships among the factors in the model. The purchasing knowledge and skills factor positively and significantly influenced the level of strategic purchasing. The status of purchasing factor positively and significantly influenced the level of strategic purchasing. The level of strategic purchasing positively and significantly influenced how purchasing manages the supplier market.;The research study concludes with implications for theory and practice, limitations and directions for future research.;The research methodology used a mail survey to gather data from 739 respondents. This data was analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. As a result of this research, scales were developed to measure factors such as purchasing knowledge and skills, purchasing status, level of strategic purchasing, purchasing resources, purchasing proaction, manages the supplier market, and manages supplier relationships. This was the first attempt to develop scales for these factors and test them in a causal relationship model. |
