Buyer-supplier integration and logistics performance in healthcare facilities in Tanzania: the moderating effect of centralised decision control

This research concerns logistics performance in public purchasing relationships. It examines the effect of buyer-supplier integration on supplier logistics performance. Particularly focuses on purchasing centralisation in healthcare facilities, and examine whether centralisation of decision control exercised by the health authorities influence the effect of buyer-supplier integration on supplier logistics performance. A survey data of 164 informants from public health facilities in Tanzania was used for analysis. It reveals that buyer-supplier integration improves supplier logistics performance significantly and stronger purchasing centralisation reduces the effect of buyer-supplier integration on supplier logistics performance. It provides a broad and interesting focus on significant antecedents to supplier logistics performance. In the future, the government should focus more on supporting the individual public health facilities in developing and adapting proper governance mechanisms for supporting buyer-supplier integration. Further research in other empirical and cultural settings is desirable to test the external validity of these findings.