Patricia M. Doney

An Examination of the Nature of Trust in Buyer-Seller Relationships

The authors integrate theory developed in several disciplines to determine five cognitive processes through which industrial buyers can develop trust of a supplier firm and its salesperson. These p...

Trust determinants and outcomes in global B2B services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to specify and test factors surrounding trusting relationships between buyers and suppliers in a global, business‐to‐business services context. In so doing, the paper aims to help to extend relationship marketing theories to this under‐researched domain.Design/methodology/approach – A literature review and results of qualitative interviews in the paper provide a conceptual framework for the trust formation process and relational outcomes of trust. The research then tests a model of hypothesized relationships using structural equation modeling.Findings – The paper confirms the influence of trust building behaviors (social interaction, open communications, customer orientation) and service outcomes (technical, functional and economic quality) on trust formation. Trust is shown to have a positive influence on key relational outcomes, loyalty commitment and share of purchases.Research limitations/implications – The sample consists of buyers of aviation component repair s...

Research Methods in the Leading Small Business-Entrepreneurship Journals: A Critical Review with Recommendations for Future Research

Small business and entrepreneurship scholars have made significant progress toward advancing the field and gaining recognition as an important domain of scientific inquiry. However, the authors suggest that a strong methodological foundation built on state‐of‐the‐art research technologies is necessary to support further paradigmatic growth and maturation. Using Chandler and Lyons study as a benchmark for research methods through the 1990s, the study critiques research methodologies used by small business and entrepreneurship researchers over the ensuing years. The analysis includes all 665 papers published between 2001 and February of 2008 in the Journal of Small Business Management, Journal of Business Venturing, and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. The research outlines key methodological issues, assesses recent methodological practice, identifies current trends, and offers recommendations for researchers in adopting existing and emerging research technologies.

Performance Outcomes of Behavioral Attributes in Buyer-Supplier Relationships

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain the impact of relationship capital (trust and commitment) and the exchange climate (communication, conflict resolution and cooperation) on performance satisfaction in the context of buyer–supplier relationships. The study also examines the influence of national culture on the proposed relationships. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual model and accompanying research hypotheses are tested on data from a survey of 169 US and 110 Brazilian buyers. Structural equation modeling (AMOS 18.0) is used to test the hypotheses. Findings – Results suggest that performance satisfaction is highly dependent on the level of relationship capital and climate of information exchange between buyer and supplier. Quality communication and conflict resolution have the greatest impact on performance satisfaction while trust’s influence is both direct and mediated by the exchange climate. Research limitations/implications – The study is limited to a two-country sample in a b...

Cross-Cultural Examination of Relationship Quality

ABSTRACT This study of relationship quality contributes to the field of global industrial services marketing by examining relational and economic determinants and an outcome of relationship quality in a cross-cultural setting. The sample includes 202 buyers of industrial services from 42 countries. A conceptual model is proposed and tested using structural equation modeling. The study concludes that a buyers expectation of continuity with a service provider is influenced more by relationship quality than by perceived economic value. Relationship quality, in turn, is impacted by perceived economic value, relationship bonds, and relationship investments. Results partially confirm the interpersonal predispositions of collectivist cultures. For example, buyers from collectivist cultures place significantly more emphasis on relationship investments than do buyers from individualist cultures. These findings have important implications for marketing theory and practice.

Effects of International Trade and Economic Development on Quality of Life

The authors integrate theories from macromarketing, economics, and sociology to develop a conceptual model assessing the effects of international trade and economic development on physical quality of life (PQOL), individual freedom, and the environment (carbon dioxide [CO2] emissions and environmental performance). The study introduces new measures of individual freedom and environmental performance to the macromarketing literature. Research hypotheses are tested on time-lagged data from 104 countries using structural equation modeling. Results suggest that international trade is associated with economic growth that enhances the well-being of people and their ‘‘visible’’ natural environment but with a deleterious impact on global warming through increased CO2 emissions. Increases in PQOL and individual freedom are associated with lower CO2 emissions and improved environmental performance. These findings have important implications for public policy makers, marketing academics, and practitioners.

Time-Lagged Effects of Exporting and Importing on Economic Development: Replication and Extension of Mullen's (1993) Model

A new model of how exporting and importing affect two dimensions of economic development was recently developed and empirically tested by Mullen (1993) with cross-sectional data. This study replicates and extends the model and analysis in several important ways. To broaden the conceptual scope, additional theoretical approaches are discussed and incorporated into the model. Then an empirical evaluation is made using new data with time-lagged export and import variables. The results support the belief that international trade affects both dimensions of economic development positively. Although the results are most pronounced with a five-year lag, the study shows that trade not only raises the aggregate economic activity of nations, but also helps satisfy basic human needs.

B2B commitment building in emerging markets: the case of Brazil

The research examines the suitability of relationship marketing paradigms to emerging markets (EMs) through the lens of communication, relationship benefits and commitment. Using the U.S. as a developed nation sample and Brazil as a proxy for EM countries like the BRIC nations, a B2B buyer–supplier commitment-building model is conceptualized and tested for context-specific boundaries. The study compares communication behaviors and relationship benefits along functional, psychological and social dimensions to discern the evaluation process and governance mechanisms influenced by an EM buyer’s institutional environment. Results showed that buyers from relation-based EMs like Brazil base their relationship commitment more on the psychological attributes of the partnership, while a buyer’s commitment-building process in rule-based, developed nations like the US is largely influenced by functional attributes.

GRAY MARKETS: THREAT OR OPPORTUNITY? THE CASE OF HERMAN MILLER v. ASAL GmbH

Market entry strategies range from foreign direct investment to licensing with varying levels of commitment, risk and opportunity. Exporting products or services is one of the most common of the intermediate market entry strategies. It is typically accomplished through authorized international channels of distribution. However, when significant price differences exist between markets, alternative, parallel channels of distribution are almost certain to arise. These parallel channels, often referred to as gray marketing, are generally legal but unauthorized distribution channels that create an alternative export market entry. After a review of the literature, a case study highlights these complex issues from the perspective of both manufacturer and parallel marketer. The case study provides a tool for evaluating theory and a basis for discussing this important alternative mode of market entry. The case and the discussion which follows also highlight the role of international trade shows as an important element of the marketing mix for entering many foreign markets.

The Effects of Cultural Differences on Accountability and Information Search and Analysis by Industrial Buyers

Firms targeting business-to-business markets must possess an in-depth knowledge of the organizational buying process and the countless factors which influence it. Recently, the role accountability plays in organizational decision making has received attention in the literature. Accountability, defined as the pressure to justify one’s decisions to others (Tetlock 1983), is a fact of organizational life and should be incorporated into the research on organizational decision making. However, while these studies shed light on the real-world context in which organizational decision makers decide, they generally ignore the influence of culture on accountability and its outcomes. This presents a serious limitation since the specific norms, values, and ideologies to which people are held accountable differ dramatically from one culture to the next. Therefore, what is considered a socially acceptable justification for behavior likely depends on social contextual factors such as “cultural system” ideologies (Tetlock 1985, p. 308). In other words, the steps decision makers take to cope with demands for accountability may depend upon cultural factors.