Like most other manufacturers, Regal Marine finds that it must spend a huge portion of its revenue on purchases. Regal has also found that the better its suppliers understand its end users, the better arc both the supplier’s product and Regal’s final product. As one of the 10 largest U.S. power boat manufacturers Regal is trying to differentiate its products from the vast number of boats supplied by 300 other companies. Thus, the firm works closely with suppliers to ensure innovation, quality, and timely delivery.

Discussion Questions
1. What other techniques might Regal use to improve supply-chain management?
2. What kind of response might members of the supply chain expect from Regal in response to their “partnering” in the supply chain?
3. Why is supply-chain management important to Regal?