Volume 203

Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) plays a crucial role in enhancing the resilience of global supply chains. This paper investigates how SRM strengthens supply chain stability and agility by fostering better coordination, transparency, and responsiveness. It highlights essential factors such as power dynamics, mutual trust, supplier performance monitoring, and long-term strategic collaboration. As global markets face increasing uncertainties—from geopolitical risks to environmental challenges—organizations rely more heavily on robust SRM frameworks to manage supplier risks and ensure continuity. In recent years, companies have also faced growing pressure to comply with ethical standards, labor regulations, and environmental laws, elevating the importance of SRM as a governance mechanism for ethical sourcing and sustainability. The research incorporates a case study of Walmart, demonstrating how structured SRM practices can help mitigate supply risks, increase supplier responsiveness, and maintain cost-effectiveness under dynamic conditions. It further reveals that companies integrating SRM into broader strategic planning not only reduce their vulnerability to disruption but also build competitive advantage by fostering supplier innovation and flexibility. Overall, the paper concludes that SRM has evolved beyond an operational necessity into a key enabler of long-term organizational resilience, sustainability, and strategic alignment in a rapidly changing global business environment.

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