• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.115-132
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• 2008

Metal industry is one of the most representative heavy industries and the median sales volume of steel and nonferrous metal companies is over one billion dollars in the case America [Forbes 2006]. As seen in the recent business market situation, an increasing number of industrial manufacturers and suppliers are moving from adversarial to cooperative exchange attitudes that support the long-term relationships with their customers. This article presents the results of an empirical study of the antecedent factors of business relationships in metal industry of the United States. Commitment has been reviewed as a significant and critical variable in research on inter-organizational relationships (Hong et al. 2007, Kim et al. 2007). The future stability of any buyer-seller relationship depends upon the commitment made by the interactants to their relationship. Commitment, according to Dwyer et al. [1987], refers to "an implicit or explicit pledge of relational continuity between exchange partners" and they consider commitment to be the most advanced phase of buyer-seller exchange relationship. Bonds are made because the members need their partners in order to do something and this integration on a task basis can be either symbiotic or cooperative (Svensson 2008). To the extent that members seek the same or mutually supporting ends, there will be strong bonds among them. In other words, the principle that affects the strength of bonds is 'economy of decision making' [Turner 1970]. These bonds provide an important idea to study the causes of business long-term relationships in a sense that organizations can be mutually bonded by a common interest in the economic matters. Recently, the framework of structural bonding has been used to study the buyer-seller relationships in industrial marketing [Han and Sung 2008, Williams et al. 1998, Wilson 1995] in that this structural bonding is a crucial part of the theoretical justification for distinguishing discrete transactions from ongoing long-term relationships. The major antecedent factors of buyer commitment such as technology, CLalt, transaction-specific assets, and importance were identified and explored from the perspective of structural bonding. Research hypotheses were developed and tested by using survey data from the middle managers in the metal industry. H1: Level of technology of the relationship partner is positively related to the level of structural bonding between the buyer and the seller. H2: Comparison level of alternatives is negatively related to the level of structural bonding between the buyer and the seller. H3: Amount of the transaction-specific assets is positively related to the level of structural bonding between the buyer and the seller. H4: Importance of the relationship partner is positively related to the level of structural bonding between the buyer and the seller. H5: Level of structural bonding is positively related to the level of commitment to the relationship. To examine the major antecedent factors of industrial buyer's structural bonding and long-term relationship, questionnaire was prepared, mailed out to the sample of 400 purchasing managers of the US metal industry (SIC codes 33 and 34). After a follow-up request, 139 informants returnedthe questionnaires, resulting in a response rate of 35 percent. 134 responses were used in the final analysis after dropping 5 incomplete questionnaires. All measures were analyzed for reliability and validity following the guidelines offered by Churchill [1979] and Anderson and Gerbing [1988]., the results of fitting the model to the data indicated that the hypothesized model provides a good fit to the data. Goodness-of-fit index (GFI = 0.94) and other indices ( chi-square = 78.02 with p-value = 0.13, Adjusted GFI = 0.90, Normed Fit Index = 0.92) indicated that a major proportion of variances and covariances in the data was accounted for by the model as a whole, and all the parameter estimates showed statistical significance as evidenced by large t-values. All the factor loadings were significantly different from zero. On these grounds we judged the hypothesized model to be a reasonable representation of the data. The results from the present study suggest several implications for buyer-seller relationships. Theoretically, we attempted to conceptualize the antecedent factors of buyer-seller long-term relationships from the perspective of structural bondingin metal industry. The four underlying determinants (i.e. technology, CLalt, transaction-specific assets, and importance) of structural bonding are very critical variables of buyer-seller long-term business relationships. Our model of structural bonding makes an attempt to systematically examine the relationship between the antecedent factors of structural bonding and long-term commitment. Managerially, this research provides industrial purchasing managers with a good framework to assess the interaction processes with their partners and, ability to position their business relationships from the perspective of structural bonding. In other words, based on those underlying variables, industrial purchasing managers can determine the strength of the company's relationships with the key suppliers and its state of preparation to be a successful partner with those suppliers. Both the supplying and customer companies can also benefit by using the concept of 'structural bonding' and evaluating their relationships with key business partners from the structural point of view. In general, the results indicate that structural bonding gives a critical impact on the level of relationship commitment. Managerial implications and limitations of the study are also discussed.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.21-47
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• 2004

This study has investigated the effects of relieving and promoting factors on dissolution intention under the condition of low commitment buyer-seller relationships. Based on intensive literature reviews, eight alleviating factors (dependence, cooperation, communication, relational norms, transaction specific investments, relationship termination costs, satisfaction, and trust) and five promoting factors (opportunism, conflict, goal incongruity, attractiveness of alternatives, and unfairness) were included. A total of thirteen hypotheses were testee using data collected from a dining franchising system. Among 300 collected, 79 cases of low commitment buyer-seller relationships were analyzed. The results showed that eight out of thirteen hypotheses were supported. But five hypotheses related to the variables of cooperation, transaction specific investments, relationship termination costs, attractiveness of alternatives, and opportunism were not supported. following a detailed presentation of the analysis results, the paper concludes by discussing the academic and managerial implications of the findings.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2003

Given the recent trend in business markets to seek and conscientiously develop long-term relationships, it has become increasingly important to understand why such long-term relationships are developed and how they are maintained. Despite their obvious importance, the antecedent conditions and processes of long-term relationships between industrial buyers and suppliers have not been systematically studied. In this research, I report a study of the antecedents of industrial buyer-seller relationships and the relational performance. What kinds of factors contribute to the development of long-term relationships\ulcorner How do these factors influence the corporate performance in the business markets\ulcorner The primary motivation of this study was drawn from an interest in answering these research questions. Managerial implications of the study results are also discussed.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.349-368
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• 2001

The purpose of this research is to investigate economic factors that determine characteristics of B2B e-Marketplaces. From a previous research work, we classify B2B e-Marketplaces into four forms: MRO Hubs, Catalogue Hubs, Yield Managers, and Exchanges. This classification is based upon "What businesses buy" and "How businesses buy." In an attempt to identify economic factors that determine e-Marketplace forms, we employ three economic factors: buyer/seller relationships, features of products traded, and characteristics of industries or markets. Through extensive literature reviews, we have selected six variables which can be used to explain reasons for different e-Marketplace forms: asset specificity and information asymmetry for the buyer/seller relationship, standardization and price variability for the product features, entry barrier and market volatility for the market characteristics. This research conducts six in-depth case studies to explain that "Why different forms of e-Marketplace emerge?" The research framework intends to provide link between e-Marketplace forms and six economic variables. Six case studies are based on interviews with CEO or team managers of e-Marketplace firms. This study has found six economic variables, explaining well reasons for different e-Marketplace forms. Research findings are summarized as propositions so that survey-type research can be conducted with a large number of samples in the future.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.286-295
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• 2008

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relationships between brand satisfaction and store loyalty by examining the role of brand trust, store satisfaction and store trust in determining store loyalty in retail service firms. The results of the study are as follows: First, in case of relation exchange consumers, which are characterized by cooperative actions and mutual adjustment of both buyer and seller, brand satisfaction has a positive influence on brand trust, brand trust has a positive influence on store trust, and then store trust a strong positive influence on store loyalty. That is, store loyalty can be build up by combined benefits both brand trust and store trust in relation exchange consumers. Second, in another case of transaction exchange consumer, which are discrete buyer-seller exchange of commodity or performance with minimal personal relationships and no anticipation or obligation of future exchange, brand satisfaction has a positive influence on store satisfaction, and then store satisfaction has a direct influence on store loyalty. So, retailers have to developing strong brands which could help ensure both satisfaction and loyalty.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.77-104
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• 2011

As business marketers placed greater emphasis on building long-term relationships, trust has assumed a central role in the development of marketing theory(Dwyer, Schurr, and Oh 1987; Mogan and Hung 1994) and practice(Dertouzos, Lester, and Solow 1989). Marketing research on trust primarily focuses on two targets of trust: supplier firms and their salesperson. Trust of firm and trust of salesperson, though related, represent different concepts(Doney and Cannon 1997). Also, the definition of trust proposed by Ganesan(1994) reflects two distinct components: (1) credibility, which is based on the extent to which the buyer believes that the seller has the required expertise to perform the job effectively and reliably and (2) benevolence, which is based on the extent to which the buyer believes that the seller has intentions and motives beneficial to the buyer when new conditions arise, conditions for which a commitment was not made. The existing marketing research focuses on how trust of a firm and its salesperson has a differential effects on loyalty. However, these extant research pays little attention to the moderating effects that explicitly examine how two trust dimensions of salesperson(credibility and benevolence) affects loyalty of firm. The purpose of this study is to provide new insight into boundary conditions(individualism and industry type) that credibility and benevolence influences loyalty.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.71-92
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• 1999

The basic purpose of this study is to investigate how the traits of the buyer-seller transaction-relationship relate to relationship performance, including relationship performance explicitly in the proposed model. The traits examined include relational norm, formalization, market uncertainty, and relationship investment. It is hypothesized that relational norm and formalization have positive impacts on relationships performance while market uncertainty has a minus impact. In addition, it is hypothesized that relational norm has a positive moderating impact on the effect of relationship investment--the investment and efforts for maintaining a relationship to relationship performance. A mail-survey to the manufacturers of machinery and equipment about their relationships with the parts suppliers was performed. Data provided a strong support for the hypotheses. As hypothesized, relationship performance and formalization generally had positive impacts on relationship performance and formalization generally had positive impacts on relationship performance while market uncertainty showed negative impacts. Also, there is a good evidence for the positive moderating effect of relational norm to the impact of relationship investment on relationship performance.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.712-729
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• 2002

In this study, we evaluated degree of importance of e-marketplace solution selection factors. Factor analysis was conducted to find out relationships among various variables which come from literature survey. The result shows that 16(sixteen) -selection variables regarding solution characteristics could be grouped into four areas 'flexibility', 'ease of use', 'security', and 'economy'. And 11(eleven) selection variables regarding to vendor characteristics could be grouped into three areas, 'vendor's support', vendor's general situation', and 'vendor's business accomplishment`. Through various analysis, we found important factors for 3 types of operational companies, buyer-biased, seller biased and neutral. 'Security for data item' was showed as the most important factor for all kind of B2B operational companies. For buyer-biased companies, additional supporting manpower, solution education, and educational cost are shown to be more important factors than others. Place of education, education hours and education level are important for 'Neutral' companies. And the factor 'market share of vendor' are important for 'seller biased' companies.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.119-148
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• 2007

The purpose of this research is to study whether environments of participating firms of electronic marketplace(e-MP) have an influence on usage factors which are supplying from e-MP and usage factors affect usage performances. Based on the existing researches we found variables and executed a empirical study of environment-usage-performance model. Through this research we suggested useful factors for the performance of trade enterprises. Usage factors of e-MP will overcome geographical limitation and acquire new sales areas and simultaneously widen the relationships of global enterprises. Those firms could be accessible into global market promptly. To enhance usages of e-MP, service quality which can satisfy both buyer and seller at the same time should be strengtened. Finally, the usage of e-trade information should also heighten through usage factors.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.105-113
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• 2024

Purpose: This study sheds light on the need for trust in buyer-seller relationships in supply chains and explores why long-term orientation is important. It also investigates the effect on relationship performance. This study provides implication on how to build robust supply chains. Methodology: A survey was conducted with firms with supply chains in South Korea. A total of 350 valid questionnaires were analyzed through Entrust Survey-a sampling company. Structural equation modeling (SPSS 18.0 and AMOS) was employed to test the hypotheses. Results: Cognitive trust had a positive effect on emotional trust. Emotional trust had a positive effect on long-term orientation but did not have a significant effect on relationship performance. Long-term orientation was proportionate to relationship performance. Conclusions: Trust is a critical factor in supply chains. As business environments are rapidly changing, the uncertainties are also meaningful. Supply chains have collapsed owing to COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the U.S.-China trade war, and they are only just recently being rebuilt. Maintaining relationships with supply-chain partners is vital, and promoting cognitive and emotional trust is necessary.