Chapter 3 Modeling the structure of business-to-business relationships

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a three-year-long research on business relationships, relying on qualitative data gathered through multiple-case study research of four focal companies operating in Australia. The industry settings are as follows: steel construction, vegetable oils trading, aluminum and steel can manufacture, and imaging solutions. The research analyzes two main aspects of relationships: structure and process. This paper deals with structure describing it by the most desired features of intercompany relationships for each focal company. The primary research data have been coded drawing on extant research into business relationships. The main outcome of this part of the research is a five construct model composed by trust, commitment, bonds, distance, and information sharing that accounts for all informants’ utterances about relationship structure.

Citation

Biggemann, S. (2010), "Chapter 3 Modeling the structure of business-to-business relationships", Woodside, A.G. (Ed.) Organizational Culture, Business-to-Business Relationships, and Interfirm Networks (Advances in Business Marketing and Purchasing, Vol. 16), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 27-177. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1069-0964(2010)0000016006