This multiple case study investigated the role of supply chain management in the relational competitive advantage in some companies from the textile and the footwear industries. The characteristics of buyer-supplier relationships and the companies ' relations with the institutional environment were analyzed. The influences of relations with the institutional environment in the competitive advantage and the different sources of competitive advantage to the firms were also investigated. The buyer-supplier relationships in the footwear industry are more aligned with supply chain management and contribute more significantly to competitive advantage. The relations with the components of institutional environment lead to a competitive parity situation in relation to competitors in both sectors. Regarding competitive advantage sources, product innovation is the most important in both sectors.
Supply chain management; Competitive advantage; Relational view
