Calculative trust, benevolent trust and supplier opportunism: the double edged role of IT infrastructure capability

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how two dimensions of trust, calculative trust and benevolent trust, affect supplier opportunism, and further investigates how information technology (IT) infrastructure capability moderates the relationship between calculative trust, benevolent trust and local supplier opportunism.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses ordinary least square regression to test the hypotheses, using survey data from 164 buyer–supplier relationships.

Findings

The findings suggest that both rational and emotional dimensions of trust, calculative trust and benevolent trust, have negative effect on the opportunistic behavior of suppliers. Furthermore, IT infrastructure capability amplifies the inhibitory effect of calculative trust on supplier’s opportunism, while diminishing the effect of benevolent trust on suppressing supplier’s opportunism.

Originality/value

This study investigates the impacts of both rational and emotional dimensions of trust on opportunistic behavior, thereby enhancing the comprehension of the multifaceted nature of trust in interfirm relationships and contributing valuable insights into interorganizational relationship governance. Moreover, this study reveals the double-edged moderating roles of IT infrastructure capability in supply chain relationships, presenting innovative perspectives within the research on exploring the role of IT capability in business-to-business marketing relationships.

Citation

Li, J., Zhang, X. and Wang, M. (2024), "Calculative trust, benevolent trust and supplier opportunism: the double edged role of IT infrastructure capability", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 39 No. 10, pp. 2171-2185. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-05-2023-0272