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Purpose – Managing a supplier base can be both challenging and rewarding. Instances abound where the lack of attention to supplier management has caused once successful businesses great losses or even failures. Assessing a supply base using the combined approach of discrete choice analysis (DCA) and total cost of ownership (TCO) can help a company determine the necessary features required to alleviate the strain caused by doing business with poorly managed companies. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach – By combining a company's DCA with their TCO, manufacturing companies can create a strategically focussed scorecard that aligns their supplier requirements with high-performing companies. During the analysis, the paper chose to analyze an appliance manufacturer. Findings – As a result of the analysis, it was determined that a specific supplier that was labeled as strategic, should actually be considered for elimination. While this analysis can be extremely effective, three main limitations within the research do exist. First, the lack of alignment of DCA with the strategic business initiatives within each unit of a company can adversely affect its financial success. Second, implications for management which include all data used in the analysis through all three stages – identify and classify, consolidate, and maintain supplier base – must be up-to-date. Finally, trade-offs must be accepted as a means of doing business with a supplier. Originality/value – After reading this study, sourcing managers should realize the potential for aligning and managing their supplier base with the strategy of the company to assure a profitable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study aims to examine factors that influence consumption of vegetables in the USA. Design/methodology/approach – Discrete choice methodology is used to measure the relative importance of health benefits and other attributes when choosing food to be eaten at home, cluster analysis to identify segments, and analysis of variance to analyze differences between clusters. Findings – The results show that, for food in general, nutrition and impact on weight are more important than value for money, ease of preparation and taste. However, for vegetables, while the nutrition and weight benefits are very positive factors, taste, cost and ease of preparation inhibit consumption. Results of the cluster analysis suggest that marketing strategies should be adapted for different consumer segments. Research limitations/implications – The sample size is fairly small – 250. Practical implications – The results can be used to help food marketers increase consumption of vegetables. Social implications – More effective marketing of vegetables should increase consumption, enhancing consumer welfare and reducing health care costs. Originality/value – Discrete choice analysis has not previously been used in studies of this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]