A Dyadic Relational Model of Manufacturer-Customer in Industrial Markets

Abstract

Most previous studies about the relationship between buyer and seller in the field of relationship marketing were mainly focused on unilateral (one side) relationship exchange. However, there are only a few studies that have investigated the applicability of relationship exchange theory to the relational value creation and explored the impact of “cognition” on dyadic relationship exchanges process in the industry markets. This research is seeking to develop a model which applies relational exchange theory and social capital theory as conceptual foundation. It also adopts the dyadic data from 115 manufactures among the industries of computers, consumptive electronics, and communication apparatus in both Taiwan and Mainland China, with the expectation that will help to test the core notion of the dyadic relational exchange theory, in order to address the characteristics of continuing exchange between manufacturers and buyers in industrial markets. This study also intends to investigate the reciprocal process of the relational commitment between the manufacturers and buyers. The findings show that the “relational commitment” has significant influence on their “relationship dependency”, thereby affecting the performance effectiveness of relational value creation. In addition, the specific (exclusive) resources from investment will have impact on increasing “relational commitment” of exchange partners. Commitment in industrial market acts as a function of a reciprocal cycle of each party’s perception of the other party’s commitment and is related with each partner’s trust in the other. The “communication effectiveness” and the cognition of “share value” have impact on their “trust” between the manufacturers (buyers) and buyers (manufacturers).