PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a methodology for assessing supply risk for a product category. The fuzzy based analytic hierarchy process (Fuzzy AHP) has been used for the purpose. The technique is used to determine the supply related risk and its potential impact on the buyer organization.Design/methodology/approachThe research uses case analysis approach to understand the supply related risks and then applying fuzzy AHP for prioritization of the same.FindingsThe result of the case example indicates that the suggested approach of fuzzy AHP methodology seems feasible for risk assessment in supply chain management as it allows the personnel to express their judgments regarding the importance of each type of risk elements and evaluate the situation from their own perspective and then have this input coordinated in a quantitative fashion.Practical implicationsSupply chain managers can use this research as a base for developing risk assessment tool. The result can help as a benchmarking tool for the supply management professionals. By having a better understanding of which element has the greatest effect on risk, they can focus their attention on reducing the chance that risk can have on their organizations success and profitability.Originality/valueThis paper provides practitioners with a methodology for analyzing supply side risk as an objective of creating customer value by delivering perfect order.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe a cross‐cultural study which examined individualism's moderating effect on the relationship between bonding and commitment between banks and their corporate clients.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through surveys completed by corporate customers from 126 Canadian companies and 156 Indian companies. Multiple regression analysis was used to calculate relative effects of structural and social bond on commitment across the two samples. Hierarchical moderated regression analysis was used to examine individualism's moderating effect on the bonding‐commitment relationship.FindingsThe paper's findings indicate that social and structural bonding are both antecedent to commitment, but that social bonding is given higher importance in the low individualism Indian society, while structural bonding is more important in the high individualism Canadian society. Individualism moderates the relationship between both social and structural bonding and commitment.Practical implicationsBank relationships are dependent upon specific cultural contexts in which buyers and sellers interact. The type of bonding relationship (e.g. social or structural) determines the strength of commitment. Bank managers must understand the proper emphasis to place on developing social connections versus business transactional relationships with clients in individualistic versus collective cultures.Originality/valueThis paper dramatizes the importance of understanding ways in which bonding relates to commitment, particularly when societal values vary and thus alter the relative importance of forms of bonding that generate commitment. Through empirical analyses, the paper demonstrates the moderating effect of individualism on the social bonding‐commitment and structural bonding‐commitment linkages in the context of an important service sector. To date, these relationships have not been explored in either the Indian or Canadian context.

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore store choice behaviour of Indian apparel shoppers and analyses the factors influencing their choice of retail formats from an emerging market perspective. Design/methodology/approach – The research draws on a data set of 336 structured questionnaires with adult urban Indian respondents to understand their perceptions about organised and unorganised apparel store formats. The exploratory study uses a comprehensive list of demographics, shopping situations and format stimuli parameters along with two established psychographic scales to assess the extent of their effect on the store choice of apparel shoppers. Findings – Factor analysis revealed five well defined store attributes influencing the apparel shoppers’ decision. The growing market for organised retail with a preference for multi brand stores is highlighted. The study establishes that the shoppers’ perception of single-brand stores is still going through a formative phase. Further at the micro level of the decision process, significant differences are established by a number of variables. Research limitations/implications – The paper explores the store choice behaviour from a wider perspective that may be useful for future research on developing integrated store format choice models. However, the data used herein relates to a cross-section of shoppers in urban India due to the feasibility and convenience of studying relatively organised retail forms and structure of retail in an emerging market environment. Originality/value – The paper attempts to enumerate befitting analyses of factors that influence the store choice behaviour of apparel shoppers by using apt format classifications that are specific to the emerging retail market scenario in India.

Purpose -The purpose of this cross-cultural study is to examine the moderating effect of power distance on perceived interdependence and relationship quality in a bank-corporate client relationship. Design/methodology/approach -Data were collected through surveys administered to bank customers in India and Canada. Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Multiple Regression were employed to assess the relationships among model variables. Findings -Results indicate that Power distance moderates the Interdependence and Relationship Quality Relationships. Research limitations/implications -This research was limited to only Indian and Canadian customers and their banks. Only one dimension of culture was used as a moderator of the Interdependence and Relationship Quality relationship. The study is limited to a single dimension of service banking. Practical implications -Buyer-seller relationships are dependent on the specific cultural basis of the parties. Managers must be cognizant of the cultural values of the buyer/client in order to understand the most effective means of establishing and nurturing the buyer-seller relationship. Originality/value -Given that Values, Interdependence, Interdependence Asymmetry, Trust and Commitment are critically important to the development of effective relationships, statistical data are presented supporting the fact that an element of national culture (Power Distance) moderates the degree of interdependence and the strength of the trust-commitment linkage. To date, these relationships have not been explored in an eastern cultural context.