Understanding buyer-supplier dynamics is important for managing the complexities of global supply chains. While extant research has focused on dyadic buyer-supplier relationships, less attention has been given to the broader network context in which these relationships are nested. This study utilizes Apple’s global upstream and downstream networks from 2012 to 2020 and finds that buyers are less likely to terminate relationships with suppliers that partner with downstream actors possessing broad market knowledge. Additionally, we identify two boundary conditions—supplier proximity to peers and low uncertainty in their operational environments—that strengthen this main effect. By revisiting buyer-supplier relationships within the broader network, this research contributes new insights into interfirm value co-creation within globally dispersed supply chains.
