How do Category Managers Manage? A Network Management Perspective

The aim of this research is to explore the managerial role of category managers in purchasing. A network management perspective is adopted. A case based research methodology is applied, and three category managers managing a diverse set of component and service categories in a global production firm is observed while providing accounts of their progress and results in meetings. We conclude that the network management classification scheme originally deve
loped by Harland and Knight (2001) and Knight and Harland (2005) is a valuable and fertile theoretical framework for the analysis of the role of the category manager in purchasing.