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Research suggests that asymmetry has a negative impact on value creation and value distribution and assumes that the smaller partner has an inferior position and must defend itself from value misappropriation. However, industries are plagued with a range of business relationships of varying degree of imbalance. Ambitious and growth-oriented small firms enter relationships with larger counterparts, tolerate the imbalance and learn to achieve successful outcomes. In spite of the increasing importance of asymmetric partnerships, there are still many research and conceptual lacunas.

Ideas and conclusions of this paper are based on the authors’ experience as well as on evidence from a qualitative case study conducted at a small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) and one of its key larger partners.

Findings reveal that asymmetric partnerships may offer a clear route to value creation and innovation for firms. Moreover, both partners can fully appropriate the value jointly generated.

Asymmetric partnerships, generally characterized by large dissimilarities between firms, offer the possibility of moving beyond the zero-sum game, where firms obtain value at the expense of their partners. By examining the development and dynamic aspects of these partnerships, we found a novel concept, “dual-value appropriation”, and addressed the issues of how and under which conditions dual value emerges to explain the success of asymmetric partnerships.

The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the concept of satisfaction in firm‐supplier relationships.

A quantitative approach is considered in the study. The paper offers a set of scales to analyze the main antecedents of the relationship quality concept. Causal relations are also analyzed by testing a model based on structural equations.

Cooperation, communication, trust and adaptation to expectations explain satisfaction. Proposals for further research related to commitment and long‐term orientation of supply relationships are also included.

This paper takes the Spanish context as reference. Generalization of the conclusions should begin with a previous analysis to consider the similarities and differences between contexts. The data of the research are based on the buyer's perspective.

Suppliers are able to identify elements affecting satisfaction. In order to establish lasting relationships, suppliers must identify the real needs of companies. They must also manage cooperation, communication and trust. The model and measurement scales could easily be adapted beyond the dyad and beyond the whole demand‐supply chain. The conclusions could be valuable to both buyers and sellers.

The paper highlights that some works published in Supply Chain Management: An International Journal indicate that the factors determining company‐supplier relationships have to be thoroughly studied and additional models explaining these relationships have to be tested.

Taking the Spanish agro‐food sector as reference, the current work seeks to examine the moderating effect of the type of input exchanged; specifically, to analyze the potential differences in temporal orientation of the relationships established between companies and suppliers of “core” and “auxiliary” inputs.

The information was obtained by means of a postal survey of managers responsible for the supply function from a random sample of Spanish agro‐food companies, specifically wine producers. The reason for approaching these professionals was to obtain responses from individuals who are directly in contact with the firm's suppliers, and who negotiate the purchasing agreements.

The findings show that, although communication, trust and satisfaction are always important as evaluated elements, their importance is higher when “core” products are considered. The data also indicate that for the case of products that are considered “core”, the relation between commitment and the long‐term orientation of the relationship is not significant. In this way, the more relevant the input is, more important are communication, trust and satisfaction, and the less important is commitment.

Although many studies have analyzed the long‐term orientation of buyer‐seller relationships, very few have considered the influence of the type of product exchanged. And furthermore, no previous works have analyzed the moderating effect of product type on the factors determining this long‐term orientation.

Companies that are able to manage efficient relationships with their suppliers have a greater guarantee of success and profitability in their activity. Their products will achieve the desired standards of quality. The amount of time and economic resources that firms need to build relationships is substantial and hence involves greater risk and uncertainty. Furthermore, smaller firms have fewer resources than larger ones and, therefore, the management of supply relationships can be more complicated. Therefore, this paper, by analysing a specific case, tries to identify those factors that a small to medium‐sized enterprise (SME) assesses when choosing and deciding on building a supply relationship with a specific supplier.

Through a real and practical case, considering the customer's point‐of‐view, this paper aims to offer a new model. It links to one group of some previously tested variables that illustrates the temporary evolution of supply relationships with present observations where both temporal extremes, the moment in which the relationship is in a latent state and its termination, are considered.

Finds that prior to terminating a relationship the company carries out a re‐evaluation of the supplier. The decision whether to continue the relationship after renegotiating some of its aspects, or terminate it altogether, will be made after analysing the results of that new evaluation. But firms are more demanding in this than in the initial assessment.

Limitations could arise because we consider only one case study, although a set of relationships are analysed.

No previous researches analysing the dynamics of supply relationships have compared both initial assessment to possible reassessment processes.

The study of the relationships established between firms and their suppliers is of great interest at the present time, not only among academics but also among practitioners in business. But, although many works analyze this temporal orientation, fewer analyze the effect of company size on it. This paper sets out to discuss this issue.

An important proportion of firms is made up of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), and their economic importance is vital. Therefore, this current work, taking the Spanish agro‐food industry as a reference, analyzes the possible influence of the size of the customer firm on the temporal orientation of its supply relationships, specifically differentiating between SMEs and micro‐SMEs. The moderating effect analysis, included in the EQS software, has been used.

The company size influences the temporal orientation of firm‐supplier relationships. Important conclusions related to trust, commitment and satisfaction emerge. Discussions related to main results and to the main implications of the study are also included.

The specificity of the sector considered in the empirical analysis may limit the scope for generalization of the conclusions.

No previous research analysing the effect of size on the temporary orientation of firm‐supplier relationships has been identified.

This article seeks to analyze the concept of the long‐term orientation of relationships in the supply chain (SC). This research aims to study interactions between satisfaction and commitment with the relational perspective of firm‐supplier relationships.

The establishment of a “post‐satisfaction” framework is necessary. A model based on structural equations is used to test the set of hypotheses.

The findings show that cooperation, communication, satisfaction, proved trust and commitment explain the long‐term orientation of the relationships in the SC.

This research only considers the buyer's perspective. The article considers some implications relating to different profiles of trust.

The article includes several implications about how to communicate with customers and suppliers, how to cooperate with customers and suppliers, why buyers trust suppliers, how buyers perceive satisfaction, and how buyers commit to suppliers.

This research, based on its “post‐satisfaction” approach, aims to complete the framework proposed by Cambra and Polo. Ideas related to the evolution of trust (“previous” vs “proved” trust) are discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the efforts of a Spanish SME, Bodega Pirineos, to combine technology and a customized strategy in communication management with its suppliers. This is extremely important because of the necessity to adapt its supply system to the characteristics of its micro‐suppliers, which are key trade partners of the firm.

The approach used was a case study.

The case study suggests how firms must adapt their supply relationships both with suppliers and with the environment. The paper shows that technology is not always enough. Firms need to understand their partners and to communicate with them.

This paper is based on a specific case study. Therefore, its recommendations may be successfully applied to other products in different settings and in other sectors.

The ideas contained in this case study can help supply chain managers to reflect on the necessity of understanding their strategic suppliers. Communication between a company and its suppliers is important for improving the efficiency of its supplying management. A proper management of business‐to‐business communication flow may guarantee the achievement of the necessary inputs and the meeting of the required standards for its products. Understanding why and how Bodega Pirineos customizes communications flows with its micro‐suppliers will help both managers and researchers to reflect on the idea that communication needs comprehension more than technological intensity.

The special characteristics of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) seem to recommend strategies adapted to their economic and human resources. The paper highlights a successful strategy based on the SME context. It includes both the firm's and their most representative suppliers' perspective.

The aim of this study is two-fold. Firstly, to examine the outcomes of co-creation from a customer perspective using well-recognised customer management variables (customer satisfaction, loyalty and word-of-mouth (WOM). Secondly, to assess potential cross-cultural differences that may exist within the context of co-creation.

A questionnaire was completed in the banking services industry, and the final valid sample comprised individuals from the UK and Spain. Multi-sample analysis was carried out using PLS software.

Co-creation has a direct influence on customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and WOM; co-creation activities lead to cumulative customer satisfaction, which also affects customer loyalty and positive WOM. Furthermore, the results show that the direct relationships between co-creation and loyalty and WOM are more powerful for British consumers than Spanish consumers, who need to feel satisfied prior to demonstrating loyalty and engaging in positive WOM.

Firms can use co-creation as a strategic tool if they provide trustworthy collaboration spaces. Furthermore, firms need to adapt the way they interact, listen and respond to customers in different cultural contexts. Trustworthy collaboration spaces and adapting to cultural differences can result in customers who are more satisfied, loyal to the company and more likely to carry out positive WOM, which can ultimately lead to future business.

This study provides insights into co-creation from a customer perspective. Although much service research has examined the drivers of customer co-creation, literature that analyses the consequences of customer co-creation is still scarce. Moreover, this is the first study to provide empirical evidence of cross-cultural differences within the context of co-creation.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the largely unexplored conceptualisation of the brand-as-a-person metaphor in small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by examining its potential relation with the SME owner-manager, the pathways to its creation and development and the intuitive nature of this relationship.

A grounded theory approach was used, and data were collected through a set of 36 semi-structured interviews with 30 SME owner-managers in various sectors in Mexico.

The results indicate that SME owner-managers intuitively humanise their brands. The study revealed four pathways to develop the brand-as-a-person metaphor in the SME context: through personality traits, tastes and preferences, abilities and knowledge and values, all suggesting that SMEs’ brand-as-a-person metaphors are largely an extension of their owner-managers.

The paper presents a theoretical framework that illustrates the four pathways to the creation and development of brand-as-a-person that are derived from the brand’s relationship with the SME owner-manager. The results of cross-industry semi-structured interviews are limited to a single culture context.

SME owner-managers should first undertake an introspective personal assessment of their intuitive and conscious decision-making, as SME owner-managers often make decisions in an intuitive way. The results suggest that they should act in a more conscious, responsible and rational way when formulating their brand strategies.

This is the first study to clarify the profound influence of SME owner-managers’ personal characteristics, including personality traits, tastes and preferences, abilities and knowledge and values, on the brand-as-a-person metaphor. This study also confirms the intuitive learning strategy formulation of SME owner-managers’ branding practices and SMEs’ need for a more rational approach to branding.

The aim of this paper is twofold: first, to provide further insights into the challenges and opportunities that arise from simultaneously being an entrant and an incumbent and, second, to help these firms effectively use supply chain management capabilities to respond to disruptive threats.

This is an “insights from industry” paper. It is based on a retrospective analysis of rich data obtained at the SIRIUS Chair in Toulouse, France, from an important cluster of aerospace firms and the authors’ accumulated experience.

The authors found that under conditions of disruptive change, the ability to make the final customer the focal point and to build a comprehensive understanding of the overall supply network are key in shaping and taking advantage of future opportunities. These abilities enable firms to analyze different scenarios and identify the roles they want to play, the collaborations they need to establish and the possible internal changes required.

This paper offers several new perspectives from practice. The authors analyze two types of space industry innovations: individual small satellites (or “smallsats”) and smallsat constellations. Three types of capabilities are focused on: inside-out, outside-in and spanning. Disrupt-or-be-disrupted does not fully describe the dynamics the authors observed; cooperative competition and complementarity provide a better framework for ideas on how to cope with disruptive opportunities.