Many different vendor selection models have been published in the purchasing literature. However there has been no systematic approach to compare the relative efficiency of the systems. In this paper we propose to use the concept of Total Cost of Ownership as a basis for comparing vendor selection models. We illustrate the comparison with the real life data set of the purchasing problem of ball bearings at Cockerill Sambre, a Belgian multinational company in the steel industry.Mathematical programming models outperform rating models and multiple item models generate better results than single item models from a Total Cost of Ownership perspective for this specific case study.

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a b s t r a c tControl offers a critical differentiator between successful and failed interfirm service exchanges. The application of informal control to improve supplier performance has been well established, but the effect of formal control appears profoundly equivocal. This study proposes that the actual effect of formal control depends on its mode (output vs. behavior) and its relationship with the service type (mass vs. professional) and informal control. With survey data from 252 service buying organizations, the results indicate that output control interacts with service type to determine perceived supplier performance (PSP). Buyers' reliance on high output control has a positive effect on PSP in mass service exchanges; this effect becomes negative in professional service exchanges. The effect of the interaction of behavior control and service type also depends on the presence of informal control. Buyers' reliance on high behavior control exerts a more positive effect on PSP in professional service exchanges than in mass service exchanges, but only in the presence of informal control. These findings have key implications for both theory and practice.

This paper develops a structural model to investigate the direct and indirect effects of owner–manager and company characteristics and selected management practices on the financial performance of a sample of 218 small Belgian construction companies. The results show that the owner–manager and company characteristics (experience, education, financial knowledge, knowledge of cost accounting, company size and age) have no direct significant impact on financial performance. However, several significant paths have been found between the owner–manager and company characteristics and management practices. As far as the direct effects of the management practices are concerned we observe several significant paths from the management practices to financial performance. Our findings indicate that a model approach by including owner–manager and company characteristics and management practices in an intertwined way is necessary when exploring their effects on small business financial performance. Copyright Springer 2005company characteristics, construction sector, financial performance, management practices, small business, owner-manager characteristics, L20, L74, M10,