Stereotypical supplier evaluation criteria as inferred from country-of-origin information

In business-to-business markets, customers can use a supplier's perceived country of origin as a cue in assessing that supplier; this inference making results in stereotypical supplier evaluation criteria which are the basis for country-of-origin evaluations. To date, these criteria have not been established properly by an empirical study. Using a qualitative approach, the current study uncovers a fuller picture of the stereotypical criteria behind this inference. Using the repertory grid method, the authors interview 30 purchasing agents from car manufacturers in three European countries. Through this empirical study, they outline a system of nine categories that are conceptually examined and result in the conclusion that stereotypical supplier evaluation criteria reflect a customer-perceived interpretation of suppliers' organizational competences.