The Effect of Customers’ Unethical Practices on Suppliers’ Intention to Continue Their Relationships

IF 5.9 1区 哲学 Q1 BUSINESS
Daniel Prajogo, Brian Cooper, Ross Donohue, Anand Nair
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Abstract

This study examines inter-firm buyer–supplier relationships through an ethical lens. Drawing on the concept of reciprocity in social exchange theory as well as resource dependence theory, we examine the effect of customers’ unethical practices on their suppliers’ intention to continue their business relationships with their customers. Specifically, we distinguish two types of unethical practices: unfair business practices, which directly target suppliers and socially irresponsible practices, which have an impact on wider society. Integrating social exchange theory and resource dependence theory, we investigate the effects of two moderating factors: suppliers’ dependence on their customers and the benefits derived from the supplier–customer relationship. Using data obtained from 506 managers from small-to-medium-sized firms, our findings show that both customers’ unfair business practices and socially irresponsible practices have negative relationships with their suppliers’ intention to continue the relationships. These effects are moderated by supplier dependence and benefits derived from their customers. Overall, our study shows that intention to continue in these relationships, in response to unethical practices by customers, is bounded by supplier self-interest and resource dependence. Our study is one of the few to examine suppliers’ responses to unethical practices and our findings are consistent with the notion of weak reciprocity, rather than strong reciprocity that predominates in the literature.

Abstract Image

客户的不道德行为对供应商继续保持关系的意愿的影响
本研究通过道德视角研究企业间买方与供应商的关系。借鉴社会交换理论中的互惠概念以及资源依赖理论,我们研究了客户的不道德行为对供应商继续与客户保持业务关系的意愿的影响。具体而言,我们将不道德行为分为两类:直接针对供应商的不公平商业行为和对社会不负责任的行为,前者会对更广泛的社会产生影响。结合社会交换理论和资源依赖理论,我们研究了两个调节因素的影响:供应商对客户的依赖以及从供应商-客户关系中获得的利益。利用从 506 名中小型企业经理人处获得的数据,我们的研究结果表明,客户不公平的商业行为和不负社会责任的行为与供应商继续保持关系的意愿存在负相关关系。供应商对客户的依赖性和从客户那里获得的利益会调节这些影响。总之,我们的研究表明,针对客户的不道德行为,继续保持这种关系的意愿受到供应商自身利益和资源依赖性的制约。我们的研究是为数不多的研究供应商对不道德行为的反应的研究之一,我们的研究结果符合弱互惠的概念,而不是文献中占主导地位的强互惠概念。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
12.80
自引率
9.80%
发文量
265
期刊介绍: The Journal of Business Ethics publishes only original articles from a wide variety of methodological and disciplinary perspectives concerning ethical issues related to business that bring something new or unique to the discourse in their field. Since its initiation in 1980, the editors have encouraged the broadest possible scope. The term `business'' is understood in a wide sense to include all systems involved in the exchange of goods and services, while `ethics'' is circumscribed as all human action aimed at securing a good life. Systems of production, consumption, marketing, advertising, social and economic accounting, labour relations, public relations and organisational behaviour are analysed from a moral viewpoint. The style and level of dialogue involve all who are interested in business ethics - the business community, universities, government agencies and consumer groups. Speculative philosophy as well as reports of empirical research are welcomed. In order to promote a dialogue between the various interested groups as much as possible, papers are presented in a style relatively free of specialist jargon.
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