A Balancing Act: Towards a Conceptual Framework for the Governance of Buyer-Supplier Relationships in Defence Supply Chains

Against the backdrop of the current geopolitical situation, logistics preparedness emerges as a pivotal area of focus for defence supply chains. Despite the critical role of commercial suppliers, research on utilising these in defence logistics and supply chains remains scarce. Adopting a supply chain governance lens, we have conducted a systematic literature review to provide an overview of existing research, thereby laying the groundwork for future work. Findings suggest that the security crisis spectrum is a key contextual factor influencing the governance of buyer-supplier relationships, requiring a balance of contractual and relational governance mechanisms to accommodate shifting requirements. The literature further highlights the importance of proactively adapting governance mechanisms and addressing regulatory barriers to accommodate shifts from peacetime to wartime operations. We therefore contribute to the defence logistics and supply chain literature with a preliminary conceptual framework which demonstrates this complexity and introduces a distinct preparedness phase for the governance of buyer-supplier relationships, moving beyond a binary view of peacetime and wartime governance. To address critical knowledge gaps, we propose a research agenda focusing on governance mechanisms for war operations and logistics preparedness, including the implications of regulatory and legal frameworks on the ability to employ such mechanisms. Additionally, this study provides insights for defence practitioners and their suppliers, contributing to an enhanced collective response to war and to societal resilience.