Abstract: Suppliers have become increasingly important source of open innovation for manufacturers, supplier innovativeness(SI) is crucial to evaluate and manage suppliers for manufacturers. This study based on the organizational innovativeness and relational view, to analysis the nature of SI. Taking Chinese manufacturers as research objects, the study utilizes the in-depth interview and grounded theory to explore the concept and dimensions of SI, and then generate an explain framework of the construct. Subsequently we compile the scale of SI, and then a large-sample survey is conducted. By factor analysis of the valid data collected from Chinese manufacturers, we have tested and verified the construct of SI and developed the SI scale. The results illustrate that SI is composed of technological capability, thirst for innovation, willingness of resource sharing and relational collaboration capability. The first two dimensions indicate that the manufacturers focus on the characteristics of supplier itself, the latter two dimensions focus on the characteristics of supplier who could use their resources for the operation of manufacturers effectively in the relationship. The SI scale we developed provides a measurement tool to evaluate and manage suppliers for manufacturers.