A downstream supplier has significant influence over the tangible aspects of quality, such as conformance to specification and fitness for purpose. However, they cannot influence all aspects of quality. Customer perception, a critical component of overall quality assessment, is subjective and shaped by numerous factors outside the supplier's direct control. These factors include the final brand's marketing communications, advertising messages, point-of-sale experience, and after-sales service. These activities are managed by other business functions, such as marketing and sales, which create expectations and frame the customer's experience, thereby influencing their perception of quality independently of the product's physical attributes.

A. Power dynamics are variable and situational; it is incorrect to assume downstream suppliers always hold the most power.

B. Customer perception is formed by a combination of product performance, expectations, and brand image, not solely by supplier inputs.

D. This is an overstatement; downstream suppliers (e.g., distributors, logistics providers) have significant control over quality through handling, storage, and timeliness.

1. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and Its Implications for Future Research. Journal of Marketing, 49(4), 41–50. The model (Figure 1, page 44) explicitly shows that "External communications to customers" (i.e., marketing and advertising) is a key factor that shapes customer expectations, which in turn is a primary determinant of perceived service quality. This demonstrates that functions outside the direct supply process influence quality perception. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/002224298504900403

2. Grönroos, C. (1984). A Service Quality Model and its Marketing Implications. European Journal of Marketing, 18(4), 36-44. This foundational paper distinguishes between 'technical quality' (what the customer receives) and 'functional quality' (how the service is delivered). It also posits that the corporate 'image'—heavily influenced by marketing—acts as a filter for customer perception of quality (see The Perceived Service Quality Model, p. 40). This supports the idea that marketing influences perception beyond the supplier's control. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000004784

3. Christopher, M. (2016). Logistics & Supply Chain Management (5th ed.). Pearson. In Chapter 2, "The supply chain context," the text explains that the goal of supply chain management is to provide "customer value." This value is a complex mixture of cost and service, where service includes factors like availability and delivery reliability, but the overall perception of value is framed by the firm's marketing proposition. A supplier contributes to value, but does not control its entire perception.