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The purpose of this paper is to identify the antecedent factors that foster and sustain the development of relational norms from a social exchange process perspective and articulates the mediating effect of relational norms on the relationship between inter-partner learning (IL) and IT co-sourcing performance.

A total of 197 usable questionnaires were returned from 1,000 Taiwan enterprises. Results from a partial least squares method supported the hypothesis that relational norms serve as dependent variable (to IL) and independent (mediating) variable (to IT co-sourcing performance).

The empirical results show that IL positively effects partnership identity and collaboration, while both significantly mediate the effects of IL on IT co-sourcing performance.

The research implications confirm that the relational norms which IT co-sourcing parties must include both attitudes and behavior simultaneously, and that IT co-sourcing will not produce good performance without both parties developing shared attitudes and collaborative behavior.

Relational norms can play a critical mediation role to help ensure that both parties reach their common goals successfully and prevent the risk of their effort to cooperate together falling apart. Therefore, project managers have to take account of the importance of relational norms on inter-organizational cooperation or strategic alliances.

This study creates opportunities for further cross-disciplinary studies of inter-firm co-sourcing project especially with regard to relational norms and knowledge sharing.

The purpose of this study is to analyse the mediating and moderating effects of relational flexibility norms on relationship building capacities and export performance.

The study followed a quantitative and cross-sectional approach. The analysis was applied to 95 Peruvian Exporting SMEs which were examined through structural equation modelling (SEM) using AMOS 24.0 statistical package. The responses were gathered through telephone and personal interviews which were tested using the Mann–Whitney U test, finding no statistically significant differences.

The main finding of the study is to demonstrate the indirect effect of relational flexibility norms on the export performance of SMEs through relationship-building capabilities. In this way, these capabilities become very important variables in the export management of SMEs, since they directly affect the relationship of the Exporter–Importer dyad.

One of the limitations is the cross-sectional type study that applies to the short-term effects of relational norms. Organizational characteristics and other factors that may affect export performance should also be considered in future research, as well as longitudinal studies should be developed.

The study allows SMEs to focus management efforts on strengthening the relationship – building capabilities, which are very important given SMEs' resource constraints. Therefore, an adequate management of relations with importers can contribute to the reduction of control and coordination costs; and have a positive impact on export performance. Similarly, the study contributes to the management of export promotion by suggesting that one area to be prioritized is the strengthening of the relationship capacities of exporting SMEs.

The study provides the analysis of the mediating effect of the relationship-building capability between relational flexibility and export performance. In this way, it enriches the theoretical analysis and contributes with the empirical evidence of an emerging country like the case of Peru.

The purpose of this study is to enhance the understanding of the role of contracts in channel relationships. Treating contracts as a multidimensional construct, this study examines the effects of contractual issue inclusiveness and contractual obligatoriness on performance and opportunism, as well as the moderating effects of relational norms on the above relationships.

Based on the data of 206 samples collected from distributors of house furnishing, computer and computer components, moderated regression is used to test the hypotheses.

The empirical test generally supports the conceptual model and provides three findings. First, contractual issue inclusiveness is more profound in enhancing relationship performance than contractual obligatoriness, and contractual obligatoriness is more statistically powerful in mitigating opportunism than contractual issue inclusiveness. Second, relational norms can enhance the positive effect of contractual issue inclusiveness but not contractual obligatoriness on performance. Third, relational norms can strengthen the negative effect of contractual obligatoriness but not contractual issue inclusiveness on opportunism.

First, this study investigates only contractual issue inclusiveness and contractual obligatoriness, and future studies should consider other dimensions of contracts. Second, the influence of external environment is not considered in the model. Third, data from Chinese distributors limit the generalization of conclusions. Finally, data come only from buyers, and suppliers’ viewpoints are not included.

The results provide a framework for managers to use contracts and relational norms. Managers should pay attention to the alignment between contractual dimensions and firm objectives because various dimensions of contracts have different impacts on channel relationships.

Prior research has documented contracts’ role in coordinating channel relationships but has not achieved consistent conclusions on contracts’ effectiveness. Furthermore, extant research indicates that channel members will use contracts and relational norms simultaneously but has conflicting views on the combined effects of these two control mechanisms. The study contributes by addressing these issues.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of organizational norms on employee productivity within the higher education sector in UAE.

A quantitative research approach was used to investigate 89 respondents from higher education institutions. An online survey approach was used to investigate the opinions of respondents with regard to the impact of organizational norms on employee productivity in UAE. The data were then statistically analyzed using SPSS version 22.

The results showed a positive association between the investigated organizational norms and employee productivity. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between age and organizational norms. Increase in employee age corresponds to an increase in employee productivity.

This study has made a novel contribution, since there is a significant lack of research surrounding the influence of organizational norms on employee productivity in the higher education institutions in UAE.

The aim of this study is to explore possible contingent variables that might explain these twin contradictory effects of marketing channel governance. Franchisors govern their systems to limit opportunism and enhance performance. However, the exact opposite often occurs.

This paper develops an integrative conceptual model of franchisor governance of its franchisees. This model is tested empirically with data collected from 197 Australian franchisees.

Under strong relational norms, goal congruence and outcome monitoring limit franchisee opportunism; compliance enhances franchisee performance, while opportunism reduces it. With weaker norms, outcome monitoring facilitates compliance, and goal congruence boosts franchisee performance, as does franchisee opportunism. However, norms fail to mitigate behavioral monitoring’s negative impact on opportunism.

This research confirms the positive and negative effects of franchisor governance. It also shows that norms can reverse the positive link between franchisee opportunism and performance. It additionally illustrates how goal congruence and compliance can limit opportunism and boost performance. Future research should refine this study’s measures, incorporate additional constructs into the conceptual model and test the generalizability of these findings in lesser-developed economies.

This research shows that monitoring has both positive and negative effects on franchisee opportunism and performance. To avoid monitoring’s adverse effects, franchisors are advised to enhance goal congruence, boost franchisee compliance and develop strong relational norms.

This paper shows that goal congruence, as well as franchisor outcome monitoring, can mitigate the negative effects of franchisor behavioral monitoring on franchisee opportunism, as do relational norms.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how team social media usage (SMU) affects two types of knowledge sharing (KS), namely, in-role and extra-role KS, and then individual job performance. The study also examines the mediating effects of two types of KS and the main and moderating effects of team performance norms on individual job performance.

This study applies the theory of communication visibility to develop a cross-level model and then validate it through a three-wave survey from 600 individuals in 120 teams. Hierarchical linear model is used to test the hypotheses.

The results suggest that team SMU improves team members’ in-role and extra-role KS, and thus enhances their individual job performance. The in-role and extra-role KS have partial mediating effects between team SMU and job performance. The results also show that team performance norms have a positive main effect on individual job performance, but negatively moderate the relationship between individual extra-role KS and job performance.

This study contributes to the operations management literature by examining the effects of team SMU from a multilevel perspective.

The findings provide managers with ways to improve individual KS and job performance.

This study is one of the first to investigate the effects of team SMU on individual KS and job performance. It also identifies the two-sided effects of team performance norms.

The purpose of this research is to understand factors related to increased customer purchases from suppliers during different stages of the customer‐supplier relationship.

A survey of 372 professionals in the paper industry was conducted to investigate how customer performance outcomes, supplier quality and delivery performance, the presence of relational norms and customer perspectives of environmental uncertainty vary in their influence on increasing customer purchases over time.

The results indicate the variables influencing increased customer purchases vary over the duration of the customer‐supplier relationship. It is also shown how the variables influencing increased customer purchases from suppliers are different from the variables leading to increased customer commitment to suppliers over time.

Data were collected from the customer perspective only and involved the exchange of one type of product. Similar studies need to be conducted in other industries involving other types of product exchanges that capture both customer and supplier perspectives to verify these findings.

Supplier sales and marketing managers need to understand the factors related to increased customer purchases and how they change over time to create appropriate sales and marketing strategies for different stages of their customer relationships.

One of the most important sales and marketing objectives is to increase customer purchases; however, it has received limited attention in prior research. This paper adds value by focusing on both the variables related to increased customer purchases and how these factors change in their influence over the duration of the customer‐supplier relationship.

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of “overtime norms” as a mediator between performance-driven work climates and employee burnout. This study also examines in-role performance and work engagement as moderators between high-performance climates and burnout.

A snowball sample of 214 full-time working adults from the United States participated via an online survey. Data were analyzed using SmartPLS and conditional process analysis.

Results from conditional process analyses suggest (1) performance-driven climates are positively related to burnout, (2) overtime norms mediate the relationship between performance-driven climates and burnout, and (3) in-role performance and work engagement moderate that relationship such that highly competent and engaged employees are less prone to stress and burnout.

These results highlight the dangers of performance-driven work climates on employee well-being. Trends toward extended work hours which can be exacerbated by technological advancements inevitably come at a cost. Managers and organizations should be careful not to prioritize work life over non-work life.

This study contributes to the literature by identifying overtime norms as a mediator in the performance-driven work climate–burnout relationship. This study also identifies in-role performance and work engagement as resources that can reduce burnout.

This paper provides an overview of the empirical findings on how relative performance information (RPI) affects employee behavior. Additionally, the review identifies future research opportunities based on a systematic analysis of the literature that incorporates findings across several disciplines and provides replicable, extensive coverage.

This paper addresses a research gap via synthesis, drawing on the empirical literature identified and analyzed systematically. A conceptual framework is developed to integrate the studies.

The effect of RPI on performance through enhanced effort is positive; moreover, publicity and performance-dependent compensation strengthen the effect. However, RPI has also been found to increase sabotage among employees, and it can lead to less honest reporting. Future research could examine critical mediators and moderators of the RPI-performance relationship and thus complement the findings. Additionally, the effects of group-based RPI remain underrepresented. Future work could help to assess in greater detail how RPI interacts with culture and norms and whether RPI is due to personal expectations. There is also room for further research regarding the effects of RPI on cooperation, its consequences for learning, how it affects budgeting decisions and its implications for risk taking.

This paper presents the first literature review in the field of RPI. It provides synthesized knowledge about whether RPI is beneficial or detrimental to organizational performance.

In recognising the need to research the concept of customer satisfaction the study aims to develop a strategic approach to measuring a customer′s satisfaction with a particular enterprise. The study is an attempt to (1) develop an overall concept of customer satisfaction; (2) provide a detailed relationship structure for implementation within a company; and (3) identify potential research areas. A basic premiss of the study is that the focus should be on maximising total product value to the customer; and then, second, that customer satisfaction of external customers is inter‐dependent on the satisfaction of internal customers. The framework of the research centres on a proposed model which integrates all aspects so as to maximise the potential of the organisation and all its subsystems to create and sustain satisfied customers. The approach begins with a conceptualisation phase in which the concept of customer satisfaction is explored. Attributes are then classified into services and this is then extended to integrate the internal customer into a total service model; applying gap‐analysis to this model. Enterprise satisfaction provides the basis for extending the total service model; positioning is applied to the customer satisfaction strategy; and operationalising of this strategy is proposed through an implementation model.