The Importance of Global Purchasing within SMEs A Look behind the Curtains of Different Methods of Going Global in the Chocolate Industry in Sweden

摘要

This paper provides a brief summary of the literature relating to Actor- Network Theory(ANT) with the purpose to provide an analytical tool for the case study. This serves as basisfor a discussion of global purchasing of SMEs in Sweden. The chocolate industry is used asan example as global sourcing is inevitable for these SMEs. The purpose of the paper is to getan understanding of how purchasing in SMEs takes place and why there are a variety ofmethods within SMEs. The findings show how global purchasing takes place in the chocolateindustry in Sweden. Furthermore, the different actors and other important factors, which haveinfluenced the transformation of the method of global purchasing are introduced anddiscussed. Accordingly, the paper develops a model presenting actors and factors thatinfluence how the method of global purchasing is transforming differently in each SME.