In today’s interconnected economic landscape, organizational performance depends on the wider ecosystem, including the upstream network. The significance of having a prominent standing with capable and motivated suppliers has led to increasing scholarly interest in customer attractiveness. This concept, well-established in the private sector as a means to enhance supplier relationships, has remained under the radar in the public sector. Given the unique challenges and complexities of public procurement, there is a pressing need to examine customer attractiveness within this context.

This thesis explores the outcomes, formation, and management of customer attractiveness in the public sector, culminating in an integrated framework that elucidates these dimensions. The research contends that becoming an attractive public customer can significantly improve supplier performance across a range of vital areas for public entities. Achieving this will require shifting from compliance-focused transactional practices to a strategic, relationship-oriented approach. The thesis contributes to both public procurement research and the field of customer attractiveness, providing theoretical insights and practical guidance to enable public customers to realize the full potential of their supplier relationships.