Category Management and Supplier Management are closely interlinked and complement each other to create effective and impactful strategies. There is a logical sequence that has to be observed. A category strategy lays the foundation for successful supplier strategies. Using a sports analogy, category strategies define the “playing field” and the ”rules” along which category managers will act.
In contrast, supplier strategies define how they will interact with individual “players” on the field. To succeed, supplier strategies must be built on and aligned with the underlying category strategies. A supplier strategy that ignores the limits of the playing field or violates the rules will inevitably fail.
