Seller's Perspective Research Articles

The antecedents of trust and relational commitment

In the relationship marketing field, especially on the buyer-seller relationship, the commitment has been object of an impressive body of literature, on both conceptual and empirical way. However, most of it is focused on customer behavior and little attention has been given to the seller perspective about trust and commitment. Based on a sample of 192 private Portuguese companies, this study aims to show the impact of trust and relational value on commitment, evaluated in terms of continuity of the relation. Results show that only trust has a direct effect on commitment, explaining 31,5% of its variance. Relational value explains 19,4% of the variance of trust in the customers’ integrity and reliability , so it can influence commitment in an indirect way. Key-words: Relationship marketing. Commitment. Trust. Relational value.

Electronic mail appraisal: a buyer and seller survey

The communication environment for buyer‐seller interfaces is being transformed by a variety of new communication choices. The use of electronic mail in business today is especially prevalent. This investigation explores buyer and seller reactions to electronic mail use in buyer‐seller relationships. Two studies conducted explore themes perceived by buyers and sellers regarding electronic mail use. From in‐depth interviews of sellers, some initial themes are developed. Second, a survey from a sampling frame of business‐to‐business sales people and organizational buyers advances the questions of benefits and barriers perceived to be associated with electronic mail use from both the organizational buyer and seller perspectives. From a sample of 103 buyers and 107 sellers, questions are raised about the communicative and relationship aspects that potentially influence the buyer‐seller interface. Findings suggest sellers need to be attuned to individual buyers’ views in order to benefit from the new communication options regarding communication choices.

Relationship Management in the Supply Chain

In this paper, the focus is on relationship management and its implications for Small‐Medium Enterprise suppliers (SMEs). Specific insights are provided into retailer‐supplier relationships in the UK fresh produce (fruit and vegetable) market. This sector faces a process of concentration in all parts of the supply chain determined by backward vertical integration at the initiation of powerful multiple retail buyers. The author examines the nature of relationships in a generic product group from the perspective of buyers and sellers and their interaction, utilizing material from multiple depth interviews. Results concern issues of relationship formality, exclusivity, power‐dependency, relevance of organizational size, partnered growth potential and risk which lead to a number of provisional conclusions regarding the management of relationships in the supply chain