Portfolio Approach to Relationship Management in Procurement and Supply Chain Contexts: Integrating Customer, Supplier, and Internal Stakeholder Perspectives

                @article{CRSIJ26000371,
                  author = {Adebowale A. Adedokun},
                  title = {Portfolio Approach to Relationship Management in Procurement and Supply Chain Contexts: Integrating Customer, Supplier, and Internal Stakeholder Perspectives},
                  journal = {Cosmo Research and Science International Journal},
                  year = {2026},
                  volume = {2},
                  number = {2},
                  pages = {216-224},
                  issn = {3108-1584},
                  url = {https://cosmorsij.com/published/CRSIJ26000371.pdf},
                  abstract = {often treats customer, supplier, and internal stakeholder relationships as distinct domains. This paper presents an integrative portfolio framework that conceptualises these relationships as interconnected strategic assets, each requiring differentiated governance. This conceptual paper synthesises stakeholder theory, the commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing, and portfolio purchasing models to construct a unified relationship portfolio management (RPM) framework for procurement and supply chain contexts. The analysis shows that effective relationship management requires segmenting stakeholders into three portfolios—customer, supplier, and internal—based on strategic salience, relational risk, and value co-creation potential. For each portfolio, the framework specifies governance mechanisms, performance metrics, and engagement strategies. Trust and commitment function as cross-portfolio mediating variables influencing the success of relational exchanges. Additionally, digitalisation and hyper-personalisation are identified as critical enablers of portfolio optimisation. The proposed framework is conceptual and requires empirical validation through large-scale surveys or multiple case studies. Future research should investigate the dynamic capabilities necessary to manage competing relational demands across portfolios concurrently. The framework enables procurement leaders to allocate relational resources strategically, avoid uniform engagement models, and align relationship investments with organisational risk-return profiles. This paper is among the first to explicitly apply portfolio logic across the full spectrum of procurement-related relationships, integrating external market-facing and internal organisational perspectives within a unified managerial framework.},
                  keywords = {relationship portfolio management; stakeholder theory; supplier relationship management; customer relationship management; employee engagement; procurement strategy; commitment-trust theory},
                  month = {September}
        }