In the manufacturing industry, there are a large number of small and medium‐sized manufacturers (M‐SMEs) which provide specialty manufacturing and support services to large corporations. M‐SMEs form the biggest group of manufacturing entities in many newly industrialized economies. The needs and operating requirements of these M‐SMEs are very different from those of large companies. M…
As businesses worked towards Y2000 compliancy and checked their sources of supply, the mechanisms and nature of relationships in the supply chain were exposed. A multi‐case study methodology of four UK‐based SMEs and one large multinational company was undertaken to exploit this time‐window. Although the Y2000 problem was to some extent unique, it is only one of many potential environment…