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Drawing from theories of structural power and relational competence, this paper proposes an innovative theoretical model able to predict relationship outcomes during adolescence by mapping the partners’ resources and patterns of exchange in four contexts (family, work/school, leisure time, and survival) as power bases in the relationship. Adolescent dating is an important juncture in the developmental pathway to adult partnership, both in terms of relational satisfaction and relationship violence. Power processes can capture the dynamics of both healthy and unhealthy relationships, regardless of gender, contingent to the power advantage (or disadvantage) within the relationship and can produce predictable consequences for partner’s behavior. Knowing which partner holds what kind and amount of power and in which decision-making areas may be used to predict the actions of either partner and ultimately identify the trajectories of their relationships.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of mediated power asymmetry on relational risk perception and modes of governance mechanism (intention‐based trust and unilateral control).

Survey research was conducted to collect data from 112 new product development (NPD) relationships and structural equation modeling was conducted to test the hypotheses.

The results suggest that benefiting from mediated power asymmetries by a firm is positively related to the relational risk perceived by its partner firm. This perception influences intention‐based trust to partner firm negatively and exercising of unilateral control positively. It was also found that the relationship between mediated power asymmetry and governance modes is mediated by relational risk perception.

This paper enhances the understanding of NPD relationships by examining the key mechanisms through which governance decision modes are influenced. In particular, the paper shows how mediated power asymmetries through affecting relational risk perception influence two governance modes including intention‐based trust and unilateral control.

This paper aims to analyze the influence of power on the depth of collaboration by discussing the power relations and collaborative relationships between buyers and suppliers in networks. The aim is to shed light on how power position in a network influences the depth of collaboration.

The study utilizes a case research as a method and analyzes a network from the Finnish food industry. The empirical data comprises 29 semi-structured interviews conducted among the personnel of four case companies.

The findings of the study suggest that the network actors' power relations affect the form of the relationships. It seems that power influences the depth of collaboration, which is minimal if the actors do not have balanced power positions. Highlighting the importance of the network context, the results also indicate that the role and position in the network may crucially determine the character of the power relations if the actors are otherwise in balanced positions.

The results have implications for purchasing and supply chain managers and practitioners in terms of shedding light on the relation between power and collaboration. It enhances understanding of how power influences collaboration, and of how a wider network perspective could determine the power relations between the companies. Managers need to be aware of the effects of power on the nature of their relationships and, moreover, on the depth of collaboration. This enhances their ability to determine their positions in relation to other companies, and to develop relationships offering opportunities for deeper collaboration.

The literature review reveals that the issues of power and collaboration in the network context have rarely been connected and discussed in relation to each other. This constitutes a clear and notable research gap given the implication that the relation between power and collaboration, in terms of the influence of power position, is still an unexplored area. Moreover, whereas most previous studies on the phenomenon of power concentrate on analyzing dyadic relationships, this study raises the question of the network context.

This study investigates the issue of power in business‐to‐business relationships and constitutes an appraisal of the theory relating to issues of supply chain relationships; in which the received view from the relationship marketing literature with its emphasis on trust, dyadic symmetry and mutuality is questioned. It is contended, alternatively that other types of relationships, for example, those based on selfishness are equally relevant; and that power imbalanced business relationships are just as important to the understanding of business exchange.

Specific reference is made to power relationships in vertical food supply channels in the UK, where the majority of control lies in the hands of large multiple retailers. The paper cites case material drawn from studies into the relationships between UK‐based fresh food supplier organisations and their principal customers, the leading UK food retailers.

Specific outcomes are determined with regard to issues of power, mutuality and the nature of power‐dependent relationships. Power play is omnipresent in exchange relationships and is not always seen in a negative light. Relationship‐building is perfectly possible in asymmetric relationships and weaker parties are tolerant of power imbalance.

The study concludes that power should be a central consideration when concerned with business relationships and that imbalances in power are no specific barrier to parties entering into relationships or to their success.

Findings from chosen case studies are transferable to other vertical channel circumstances. Any future investigation should consider the expression and limits of power and the boundaries of tolerance to power imbalance.

Provides evidence of the nature of power‐dependent business relationships.

This study investigated how Chinese retailers perceive their foreign brand apparel suppliers and explored the use of power theory for explaining these relationships. A survey of 150 apparel retailers operating in Beijing, China provided data for the study. Referent power positively influenced retailers' attitudes toward and non‐economic satisfaction with their suppliers. Greater referent power also reduced channel conflict and enhanced economic satisfaction with business performance. The importance of this source of power seems to be linked with the concept of guanxi in China, where respectful relationships are valued. Coercive threats to withhold necessary merchandise, service, or contracts increased channel conflict. Surprisingly, greater channel conflict was associated with increased economic satisfaction with business performance. This relationship is contemplated from a cultural perspective and recommendations are made to foreign brand apparel manufacturers wishing to access China's retail market.

This study aims to explore the existence and strength of power through focussing on the manner in which accountants exercise power in their advisory relationship with small business.

Interviews provided insights into accountants’ power-related perceptions, experiences and use of power in the advisory relationship. A questionnaire accessed evidence from small business owner-managers (SBOMs). Power theoretical perspectives informed the analysis of the findings.

Accountants’ expert and information power is a consequence of SBOMs’ dependence on their accountants’ expertise and knowledge. Accountants construct advisor roles and exercise power in a manner indicating that they attempt to manage rather than exploit power imbalances to the detriment of dependent SBOMs. However, outbreaks of frustration and conflict in the relationship illustrate the difficulties in managing the dysfunctional consequences of power imbalances.

While the findings are restricted to the Australian accountant–small business advisory relationship, they offer a basis for research into the effect of power on the relationship in other national contexts. Research which includes the views of managers of failed small businesses would also extend this work.

The study’s focus on accountants’ experiences can assist practitioners endeavouring to develop advisory relationships with small business and designers of professional development programmes seeking to optimise the value of the advisory relationship.

The paper extends the study of power to the under-researched yet important accountant–small business advisory area. Its findings are of interest to accountants and accounting policymakers who envisage a broadening of accountants’ small business advisory role.

This paper aims to explore business relationship framework between two companies. In this research, relationship marketing and transaction cost were used as frameworks to analyze business relationship of two different kinds of companies in Indonesia, oil company and hypermarket. Gronroos (1994) defines relationship marketing is establishing, maintaining and enhancing relationships with customers and other partners, at a profit, so that the objectives of the parties involved are met. This is achieved by a mutual exchange and fulfillment of promises. This definition is a key to analyze the relationship of retailer and their supplier. In contrast, Williamson (1980) argued that relationship in business organization is based on their economic interest, and this approach is known as transaction cost approach. In this kind of relationship, business organizations consider cost and benefit of business relationship.

The design of this study is triangulation. Two approaches were used to answer the research questions. A survey involving 204 respondents was conducted. These are companies in Indonesia oil and gas and retail industries. The types of power of those companies were analyzed using descriptive statistic and paired t test. Also, case study was conducted to gain depth information of two companies, with a large number of business partners among the respondents. The design of case study is holistic case study.

The result shows that, in the oil company, the relationship between a company and their supplier is tied on a strict contract. In fact, the relationship of supplier and company in a fuel company based on transaction cost theory. In the retail company, the relationship of supplier and retailer based on trust, commitment and satisfaction. Those three construct are the foundation of relationship marketing. Companies in those two industries tend to use non-coercive power to influence their business partners.

This study analyzes type of business relationship in industries in emerging markets. It also discusses type of influence strategy used by companies to control their business partners to gain mutual benefit.

This paper aims to explain the effects of national and organizational cultures of boundary spanners on their choices of using three archetype power-based behaviors – dominance, egalitarian and submissive – with supply chain partners. Improved outcomes for global supply chain (GSC) partners are anticipated due to the ways that cultural intelligence affects these culturally guided decisions.

Drawing on multiple streams of literature and focusing on boundary spanners in GSCs, the authors build a conceptual framework that highlights cultural antecedents of predispositions toward power-based behaviors and explains the moderating role of cultural intelligence of boundary spanners on behaviors performed.

The authors propose that boundary spanners’ national and organizational cultural values influence predispositions toward applying and accepting power-based behaviors. They also discuss how cultural intelligence moderates the relationship between culturally determined predispositions and power-based behaviors applied by partners. The cultural intelligence of boundary spanners is argued to have a pivotal role in making power-based decisions, resulting in healthier cross-cultural buyer–supplier relationships.

This paper is the first paper to advance an understanding of the cultural antecedents of boundary spanners’ power-based behaviors that are exercised and interpreted by partners in GSCs. Furthermore, the potential role of cultural intelligence in inter-organizational power dynamics and power-based partner behaviors in supply chains has not previously been discussed.

This paper seeks to present a framework depicting the development of information power‐based relationships between firms, and to describe the effect of information power on long‐term relationships between supply chain partners.

This conceptual paper combines literature from the field of information sciences regarding information integration with literature addressing traditional power relationships to develop a set of propositions describing how interfirm relationships evolve.

The conceptual framework introduced indicates that information can be utilized as a coercive and non‐coercive power base in supply chain relationships.

The need for information may result in a firm utilizing either coercive or non‐coercive power as a means of obtaining it. This research provides interesting findings about the use of information, as a power base, and its role in interfirm relationships.

This paper combines literature from various fields to develop a needed conceptual model of information power roles within supply chain relationships.

Power is central to inter-organizational relationships. The literature distinguishes between structural power (i.e. dependence) and behavioral power (i.e. use of power), yet few studies considered them simultaneously. Opportunism is generally linked to use of power, but it remains unclear whether use of power deters or invites opportunism. In this study, the authors treat dependence as a driver of use of power and opportunism as its outcome, and empirically test relationships among dependence, power, and opportunism from both buyer and supplier perspectives. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

This study examines how buyer and supplier dependence influence the other’s and their own use of coercive and non-coercive power, which lead to opportunism of two parties, based on data from 240 companies in China on their perceived relationships with major suppliers.

Results show that buyer/supplier dependence is positively related to supplier’s/buyer’s use of coercive and non-coercive power. Buyer’s and supplier’s use of coercive power also positively influences their opportunism. Buyer’s use of non-coercive power is negatively related to both partners’ opportunism, whereas supplier’s use of non-coercive power is not significantly related to either partner’s opportunism.

This study contributes to literature in two ways. First, the authors distinguish the structural aspect of power from its behavioral aspect and demonstrate that dependence, which represents structural power, generates different patterns of influence on use of coercive and non-coercive power when considered from buyer’s and supplier’s perspectives. Second, the authors reexamine relationships between use of power and opportunism and show that buyers and suppliers react differently to use of different types of power.