Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing最新文献

{"title":"Manufacturers’ Acquiescence to Buyers’ Sourcing Requests in Industrial Markets","authors":"Wenbo Teng, Ricky Y. K. Chan, Namwoon Kim, Xubing Zhang, Lu Shen","doi":"10.1080/1051712X.2023.2239805","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2023.2239805","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Purpose This study examines a three-level interdependent hierarchical supply chain and explores the antecedents and consequences of a manufacturer’s acquiescence to a buyer’s request to source a component from a designated component supplier. Methodology This research collected survey data from 212 Chinese mining companies and analyzed the data using structural equation models. Findings First, a manufacturer’s acquiescence is negatively associated with its industrial knowledge and technological capability as perceived by the buyer, but positively correlated with the relational ties between the buyer and the designated component supplier. Second, the detailing efforts strengthen the impact of perceived industrial knowledge but weaken that of relational ties on acquiescence. Third, the manufacturer’s acquiescence ensures the buyer’s power maintenance and procurement outcome certainty, and improves the manufacturer’s customer loyalty and control of sourcing information. Research implications The research highlights the significance of understanding acquiescence within an interdependent supply chain network and indicates that acquiescence will not necessarily lead to the acquiescing firm’s dependence disadvantage. Practical implications The research suggests that firms can use acquiescence to preserve interdependent supply chain relationships. When deciding whether to acquiesce or not, firms should consider not only the market perceptions of their resources and capabilities but also the supply chain networks. Detailing can be an effective method to reduce the pressure for acquiescence. Originality In the context of a manufacturer’s sourcing decisions, the research provides fresh insights into acquiescence in a three-level hierarchical supply chain relationship.","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41436259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Organizing Maintenance Service Contracts for Initial Purchases: The Interplay Among Product Type, Service Type, and Service Approach","authors":"Rıfgı Buğra Bağci, M. Tasçioglu","doi":"10.1080/1051712X.2023.2252424","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2023.2252424","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Purpose This study investigates the trade-off between product types and the choice between standardization and customization in initial purchases. Attribution theory is used to understand how customers attribute characteristics to products/services and how it affects decision-making. Industrial purchases require service contracts, making it challenging for manufacturers to determine the appropriate service type. The study provides insights for designing service contracts that meet customer preferences and aids decision-making by analyzing the interplay of product type, service type, and approach. Practical recommendations are offered for manufacturers integrating services to gain a competitive edge. This research enhances service offerings and customer satisfaction. Methodology This study included a combination of qualitative in-depth interviews and a quantitative experimental approach. The qualitative phase involved in-depth interviews with 10 managers working for different equipment manufacturers and purchasing products from those companies. The interview protocol was designed in response to the current study’s research topic and literature review. The interviews lasted about 40 minutes and were all recorded after informing the participants. The authors used the open coding approach to code transcribed interviews. The quantitative phase employed a 2 × 2 × 2 experimental design, with manipulations of product type (production versus auxiliary equipment), service type (service supporting product versus service supporting customer action), and service approach (standardized versus customized). Questionnaires were sent to 957 managers working in purchasing, machinery-energy, maintenance, or upper management at top 500 firms, and the final sample included 157 usable responses. Findings The authors identified three themes through coding: 1) product type: customers consider the type of production when making a service contract and prioritize maintenance if it is crucial to the production system, 2) service type: customers value manufacturers who offer consultation, training and take responsibility for smooth equipment operation, and 3) service approach: customers want flexibility to add or remove components in the equipment and service offer. However, not all customers hold these preferences all the time. The quantitative part of the study aimed to determine customers’ preferred combinations in different scenarios. The main effect results indicated that ATC (attitude toward the company) and WTP (willingness to pay more) were higher for auxiliary products, services supporting customer actions and customized services. Two-way interaction results showed that ATC and WTP increased more from SSP (service supporting product) to SSC (service supporting customers’ action) when the equipment was production equipment. There was no significant difference in ATC and WTP for the interaction between product type and service approach. Nonetheless, it was fou","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43128006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Active or Passive? Examination of Dependency Behavior in Marketing Channels in China","authors":"Ruifeng Wei, Guijun Zhuang, Fanglan Pang","doi":"10.1080/1051712X.2023.2234909","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2023.2234909","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Purpose Inter-firm dependence is a fundamental construct in the literature of marketing channels. It substantially affects the relationships and behaviors between marketing channel partners. This study aims to examine the differences between active and passive inter-firm dependence regarding the antecedents and effects in the context of marketing channels in China. Methodology/Approach We designed a questionnaire and collected data from the manufacturers in manufacturer and dealer dyads. We obtained 202 valid data in the survey and analyzed the data with Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM). Findings First, in a manufacturer and dealer dyad, dealer’s important resources significantly induce active dependence from the manufacturer, and manufacturer’s active dependence, in turn, has a positive impact on manufacturer’s specific asset investments. Second, manufacturer’s specific asset investments positively affect manufacturer’s passive dependence, and this impact on manufacturer’s passive dependence is stronger than the impact of dealer’s important resources on manufacturer’s passive dependence. Third, the manufacturer’s active dependence plays a more important role in increasing dealer’s power than manufacturer’s passive dependence. Contribution Primarily, we clearly define active and passive dependence, and test whether differences exist between these two types of dependence regarding the antecedents and consequences. Besides, we develop a scale of active dependence which may be referred to in the future studies of inter-firm dependence. Implications Marketing managers should be aware of differences between active and passive inter-firm dependence when dealing with partners. They should also recognize that although both important resources and specific asset investments could change the structure of inter-firm dependence, their effects may be different.","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49655073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soft Power Effect on Long-Term Buyer-Seller Relationship: A Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach and Evidence from the Turkish Smartphone Sector","authors":"Haldun Çolak, Şenay Lezki","doi":"10.1080/1051712X.2023.2211580","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2023.2211580","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Purpose Power is crucial in influencing the parties’ mutual relations during supply chain transactions. In this context, power can be defined as the ability of a firm, which is in the position of buyer or seller, to influence the behaviors and decisions of the other party or to move them in line with their wishes. In some cases, the power may lie with the commercial buyer and, in some cases, with the seller. The characteristics of the sector usually shape this position. In addition, power itself is classified as coercive and non-coercive power according to how it is exercised. Coercive power directs the other party to the target behaviors with imposition and punishments. Non-coercive power, on the other hand, directs the target behaviors by using rewards and creating attraction points. According to the resource dependency theory, companies with coercive power are usually the leading companies due to having vital resources for other stakeholders in the supply chain. Studies have shown that non-coercive power should also be considered an essential factor in terms of maintaining the relationship in the long term. However, no study has been found on the effect of non-coercive power and the coercive power of the companies that are in a strong position in making the supplier selection decision of the buyers at the beginning. As a reason for this, it can be shown that the coverage of non-coercive power elements in the literature is insufficient, and some of them are used as coercive power elements. In this sense, it is suggested for the first time that the concept of soft power, generally used in the literature to explain power relations among countries or organizations, should be included in the analysis to explain power relations within the supply chain. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the effect of soft power, including non-coercive power factors, in buyer-seller relations and to determine whether the soft power elements differentiate the supplier selection decisions of the buyers. Methodology The decision problem discussed in the study is considered a multi-criteria decision-making problem since many factors are influential in evaluating alternatives, and the solution is conducted with multi-criteria decision-making techniques. Accordingly, soft power factors constitute the effective criteria in the decision problem. Suppliers are the alternatives in the decision problem. As a result of the literature review and subsequent expert comments, eight soft power factors were identified as the criteria for evaluating alternatives in the decision problem: culture (CU), values (VA), policies (PL), image (IMG), knowledge sharing (KS), expert power (EXP), reference power (RFP), and agenda setting (AS). The smartphone and accessories sector, where suppliers hold power, is the sector to be implemented. The data were obtained from Eskişehir, Turkey. The choice of the province was influenced by the city having three universities, and the market bein","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49565151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Referral Effect in B2B Competitive Marketing - the Ceiling Effect of Referrals -","authors":"Liming Zhao, Chen Ke","doi":"10.1080/1051712X.2023.2214545","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2023.2214545","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT In business-to-business (B2B) competitive marketing, less reputable suppliers must find ways to outcompete more reputable ones. As a marketing strategy, suppliers may ask their business partners or affiliates to recommend them to potential customers (supplier-initiated referrals). Referrals may help reduce potential customers’ uncertainty regarding suppliers’ overall capabilities and subsequently influence their supplier selection decisions. Thus, the following question arises: What is the effect of supplier-initiated referrals in B2B competitive marketing environments? To answer this question, we constructed a theoretical framework and conducted a quasi-experimental study. The results indicate that supplier-initiated referrals have a significant positive impact. Interestingly, the overall impact of referrals on a potential customer’s decision is nonlinear. In other words, the marginal effect of referrer credibility on potential customers’ supplier selection decisions decreases at a certain point, creating a ceiling effect.","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48016569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predicting the Blockchain Technology Acceptance in Supply Chains with Inter-Firm Perspective: An Integrated DEMATEL and PLS-SEM Approach","authors":"Haldun Çolak, C. H. Kağnıcıoğlu","doi":"10.1080/1051712X.2023.2214543","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2023.2214543","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Purpose Blockchain technology is one of the candidate technologies for resolving supply chain issues that may occur as a result of the complex and continuously changing market structures of the present day. In addressing the problems encountered in such a system, blockchain technology has emerged as a target technology due to its notable advantages, such as smart contracts and product traceability. Since a supply chain consists of suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, and industrial customers, blockchain technology can be considered inter-firm technology. However, the literature mainly focuses on technical, individual, and environmental aspects of technology acceptance depending on technology acceptance theories. Therefore, more information is needed about how inter-firm relations and their aspects affect organizational blockchain technology acceptance. Consequently, this study aims to identify the inter-firm characteristics and their influence on the acceptance of blockchain technologies in supply chains using network theory. Methodology The research methodology design consists of two elements. First, based on the expert judgments, the relationships between the indicated parameters regarding blockchain acceptance intention are analyzed using the DEMATEL technique, based on expert opinion. In the second part, with the data obtained from 361 supply chain managers, the validity of the linked assumptions in the proposed model is confirmed by applying PLS-SEM. Findings The present study enhances our knowledge of inter-firm technology acceptance behavior by incorporating trading partner trust, initial firm power, the dependency between partners, knowledge sharing, and cooperation. According to the findings of DEMATEL, there is a strong association between inter-firm technology acceptance characteristics in explaining behavioral intention. Whereas other variables mainly influence dependency, trust has the most significant impact on those variables with cooperation. On the other hand, PLS-SEM analysis delivers remarkable results that describe the complicated structure of blockchain acceptance from an inter-firm perspective. Cooperation is the most influential variable affecting behavioral intention (0.614), followed by dependency (0.156) and knowledge sharing (0.153). Even though the direct effects of inter-firm trust and the initial firm’s power on behavioral intention were found insignificant, dependency fully mediates the effects of these variables on behavioral intention. Similarly, the relationship between trading partner trust and behavioral intention is fully mediated by knowledge sharing, while it also partially mediates the influence of cooperation. Examining the direct impacts reveals that cooperation is the most influential variable on behavioral intention, which is consistent with the DEMATEL conclusion. Research Implications The current study demonstrates that the network theory is appropriate for explaining the acceptance of blockc","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44063923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Impact of Anger and Dependence on Supplier Decision-Making","authors":"Benoit Bourguignon, H. Boeck, Theresa B. Clarke","doi":"10.1080/1051712X.2023.2214546","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2023.2214546","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Purpose The research combines social exchange theory with the appraisal tendency framework to explore how anger impacts supplier decision-making when threatened by customers. When making the decision whether or not to comply with customers, suppliers may be influenced by other factors explored in this study, including relational norms, procedural justice, cost-benefit analysis, mimetic isomorphism, relationship quality, dependence, and interdependence. Method Over 1,000 respondents were recruited through Mechanical Turk and participated in a scenario-based experiment with vignettes. Using high/low levels of anger, and high-low levels of dependence, each condition assessed compliance and relative importance of supplier outcomes. The study employed mixed-effects logistic regression with a random intercept, Odds-Ratios, and a three-way repeated-measures ANOVA to test hypotheses. Findings This study demonstrates that anger reduces compliance and skews five decision-making criteria. Specifically, anger inflates the influence of (1) relational norm violation and (2) procedural justice but reduces the importance of (3) mimetic isomorphism. Contingent upon whether the supplier is dependent or not, anger can lower the influence of (4) cost-benefit analysis (if not dependent) and (5) relationship quality (if dependent). Research Implications This manuscript addresses the calls for more research by the academic community suggesting that in order to understand B2B exchanges more deeply Social Exchange Theory (SET) should be combined with other theories.While integrating the appraisal tendency framework (ATF) and SET, this study reduces criticisms about prior research that ignore emotions in social exchanges and provides ideas for how organizational decision-making can be influenced by anger. Practical Implications By understanding how anger influences suppliers, both parties can make better decisions and decrease the possibility of relationship dissolution. Originality/Value/Contribution This study highlights the role of anger in organizational decision-making.","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49193076","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relationship Quality Between Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Partners During Threatening Times: The Role of Contact Frequency and Social Exchanges","authors":"N. L. Trapp, P. Jørgensen, G. Svendsen, Line Skov","doi":"10.1080/1051712X.2023.2214551","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2023.2214551","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Purpose The United Kingdom’s European Union membership referendum, which marked the end of UK membership in the European Union, created much uncertainty amongst those British and European business practitioners who were accustomed to conducting trade with partners across The North Sea. This exogenous threat to business was subsequently compounded by another serious threat: the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowing that business-to-business (B2B) relationships are particularly important for the success of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and that exogenous threats in the business environment can threaten these relationships, the purpose of this study is to examine whether frequent contact and social exchanges between partners on a range of topics, during threatening times, are positively linked to the relationship qualities of trust, satisfaction, and commitment. Methodology/approach Guided by an explorative, expert interview with a Danish SME owner-manager (OM) who has a great deal of experience conducting business with UK partners, a questionnaire was developed to examine two variables which seemingly play central roles with regard to supporting business relationships during threatening times: contact frequency (how often partners are in contact), and contact scope (how often B2B partners talk together about topics which are social in nature). The questionnaire was administered to 193 Danish SME owners and managers who had British business partners at the time of the BREXIT referendum and the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings The questionnaire revealed a positive relationship between contact frequency and relationship satisfaction and commitment, as well as a positive relationship between contact scope and relationship commitment. However, no significant relationships were found between contact frequency nor contact scope, on the one hand, and the level of trust between business partners on the other. Research implications This study has underscored the usefulness of studying social exchanges, and not just information exchanges, as they are an important, relationship-strengthening aspect of B2B communication. Indeed, while the central role played by informational exchanges in building quality relationships, including trusting relationships, is well-documented, this study increases our understanding of the value of social exchanges to business relationship quality; in particular, their noteworthy link to B2B partners’ willingness to go to great lengths to maintain relationships during challenging times. Practical implications Our findings indicate that simply being in contact with B2B partners and speaking about topics that are not directly related to business is not, on its own, a sufficient means of establishing trusting relationships; however, it is nonetheless worthwhile to take the time to nurture personal relationships with B2B partners. Just a modest amount of contact is positively related to relationship satisfaction, as well as relati","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45887728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"No Slogan versus with Slogan: The Different Message Strategies for New Product Digital Video Ads","authors":"Yongge Niu, Zhangdi Wei, A. Hao, Banggang Wu","doi":"10.1080/1051712X.2023.2216211","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2023.2216211","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Purpose Interestingly, some new product digital video ads use slogans, while some do not. This study aims to identify the similarities and differences between the message strategy elements used in two types of new product video advertisements (no slogan vs. slogan). In addition, it attempts to examine how product innovation newness may moderate the influence of video advertising (no slogan vs. slogan) on the presentation frequency of various elements of the message strategy. Methodology/Approach This study employed content analysis method to confirm the special features of the message strategy for the digital video ads. 1070 digital video advertisements of six technology-driven companies’ new products published on the YouTube website’s corporate accounts in the two-year period from 2018–2019 were collected. Findings This study clarified the ambiguous relationship between message strategy and creative strategy and confirmed the theoretical framework of an advertising message strategy. The results of a content analysis revealed that the presentation frequency of elements of the message strategies for the two types of new product digital video ads (no slogan vs. slogan) were significantly different and confirmed the moderation effect of the product innovation newness. Research Implications Extant literature has mostly confirmed the theoretical value and practical significance of advertising slogans. However, there are few studies on advertising message strategies with or without slogans. Our research attempts to provide a theoretical basis for new product video advertising message strategies with or without advertising slogans. Practical Implications When designing video ad copy, advertisers should have the awareness of integrating the four elements of message strategy for systematically planning. When the advertisers choose to use video ads with slogans, they should adopt more rational appeals, creative elements, information cues, and execution elements. The video advertisements of the two groups of new products (INP vs. RNP) differ significantly in the elements presented by the message strategy in the context of whether there are advertising slogans. Originality/Value/Contribution This is the first study that examines the similarities and differences between the presentation frequency of various message strategic elements of the two types of digital video advertisements (no slogan vs. slogan). In addition, it examined the influence mechanism of advertising slogans on the four elements of message strategy.","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43994981","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Bilateral Controls on Opportunism: The Mediating Role of Commitment","authors":"Fanglan Pang, Qiang Yang, Ruifeng Wei","doi":"10.1080/1051712X.2023.2214785","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2023.2214785","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Purpose Scholars have conducted extensive research on channel control, which includesboth unilateral and bilateral controls. Researchers have mainly focused on the impact of unilateral controls, whereas bilateral controls have been given little attention. As an important classification of channel control, bilateral controls can save the cost of enterprise channel control and are conducive to the long-term development of channel relationships. This paper aims to investigate how bilateral controls impact opportunism. We attempt to answer the following: (1) How do bilateral controls (bilateral incentives, bilateral monitoring, and bilateral enforcement) affect distributors’ opportunism? (2) What is the mechanism by which bilateral controls affect distributors’ opportunism? Methodology/Approach The study proposed a research model usingbilateral incentives, bilateral monitoring, bilateral enforcement, and commitment as the antecedents, and distributor’s opportunism as the consequence. To test the model, we collected data from manufacturers in multiple industries, and analyzed the data from 200 valid responses using a multiple regression approach. Findings Both bilateral incentives and bilateral enforcement would respectively decrease distributor’s opportunism, and bilateral monitoring would increase distributor’s opportunism. Commitment has a mediating role on the relationship between bilateral incentives, bilateral monitoring, bilateral enforcement, and distributor’s opportunism. Research implications Based on expectations of fairness and equitable treatment over the long run, manufacturers need to improve their commitment, and distributors need to curb their opportunism. Whereas a firm’s self-monitoring of investments can meet partners’ expectations, this study suggests that bilateral monitoring decreases commitment and facilitates distributor’s opportunism. Managers should therefore carefully use bilateral monitoring strategies for channel management. Practical implications The study found that both bilateral incentives and enforcement can facilitate commitment and mitigate opportunism. Bilateral enforcement (versus bilateral incentives) has a larger negative impact on opportunism. Bilateral monitoring can mitigate commitments and facilitate opportunism. Additionally, our findings reveal that commitment strengthens the negative effect of both bilateral incentives and bilateral enforcement on opportunism and mitigates the positive effect of bilateral monitoring on opportunism. The findings serve as a base for marketing practitioners managing inter-firm relationships. Originality/Value This study makes two contributions to existing literature. First, it empirically tested the impact of bilateral incentives, bilateral monitoring, and bilateral enforcement on opportunism, thereby enriching the literature on bilateral controls in the marketing channel. Second, it aims to further clarify the mechanism of bilateral controls affecting opportunism.","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45070758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}