• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.29-57
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• 2006

While a number of studies have recognized the importance of environment of channel systems and consequences of changed environment, only limited studies have dealt with this issue theoretically and practically. The purpose of this study is to empirically validate whether one dimension of environment, called dynamism, has an influence on the relationship characteristics such as transaction specific investment opportunism and conflict or not: further, it is designed to delve into whether these relationship characteristics have any influence on one crucial relationship quality, 'trust' and its two constituent dimensions - credibility and benevolence. In order to provide empirical validation, a survey was conducted to 163 sales office managers at a major newspaper publisher in Korea. An analysis of the data retrieved from this survey indicated that while environmental dynamism has a positive influence on the publisher's opportunism and conflict perceived by the sales office managers, it did not show a direct influence on the transaction specific investment made by the publisher. Furthermore, while publisher's transaction specific investment had a positive influence on the credibility and the benevolence respectively, publisher's opportunism and level of sales office conflict had a negative influence on the credibility and the benevolence respectively. Currently, a publisher is facing an unprecedentedly dynamic environment. This study should provide ample implications for the publisher in establishing trust, which is a crucial condition in developing and maintaining a long-term successful relationship with its sales offices.