Moderating Effect of Relationship Life Cycle in Long-Term Orientation of Firm-Supplier Relationships

Abstract

The study of the long-term orientation of the commercial relationships established between companies and their suppliers is a topic of great interest at the present time. But although many authors have analyzed this temporal orientation, few have examined its dynamic nature. Moreover, there are no previous studies looking at the moderating effect of the relationship life cycle on the factors determining the temporal orientation of these relationships, comparing how some antecedents could have different effects depending on the specific stage the relationship has reached. Thus, in the context of the Spanish agro-food sector, the current work examines this moderating effect, considering the industrial customers' point of view. Specifically, we analyze the effect of the initial stage compared with the intermediate stage of the life cycle on a set of antecedent factors of this long-term orientation. Our research offers important implications for the management of elements such as communication, cooperation, trust, satisfaction and commitment.