Final answer:
The three stages of vendor selection are vendor evaluation, negotiations, and vendor development, where each stage focuses on assessing potential vendors, discussing terms, and improving the vendor's processes for a long-term relationship.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of selecting a vendor typically involves multiple stages that ensure a business selects the right partner for its supply chain and operational needs. The three stages of vendor selection, in the correct order, are: vendor evaluation, negotiations, and vendor development.
- Vendor evaluation is the process of assessing potential vendors based on criteria such as their product quality, reliability, price, and service.
- The negotiations stage involves discussing terms and conditions, pricing, and service level agreements.
- Finally, vendor development is the phase where the selected vendor's processes are potentially improved to meet the buying organization's requirements for a long-term relationship.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is (a) vendor evaluation, vendor development, and negotiations.