Abstract:

The entrepreneurial environment has been changing for years. The quality, cost and time requirements for companies have constantly increased and are still subject to the pressure to adapt to the fast-paced and modified market demands. Shortened product life cycles as well as increased pressure for innovation due to increased and globally occurring competition are causing financial difficulties for suppliers (Metze, 2010). Through this described pressure for innovation, manufacturers and first-time suppliers, often referred to as the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in the automotive industry, and their suppliers, also called tier 1 and 2 suppliers, are moving closer together to optimize research, development and other costs, while improving adaptability to market needs in order to identify competitive advantages (www.vda.de (ed.), 2016).