Abstract
To conduct business relationships successfully it is necessary to elucidate the forces that drive the business partners’ actions. Chapter 2 thus presents the most important theoretical insights related to business relationships as a basis for a better understanding of the actors’ behavior. As research approaches to marketing in business relationships are very heterogeneous, this chapter also intends to create awareness for the significance of the different theoretical perspectives. After behavioral approaches, the concept of Thibaut and Kelley as a social psychological scheme of explanation is presented. Furthermore, the basic economic indicators of business relationships, commitment, relationship value and switching costs, are explained and it is shown how they affect the business partners’ actions and what this means for business relationship management and marketing.
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Appendices
Exercises
1.1 Case Study
Many automobile producers have moved their manufacturing facilities to foreign countries to save costs. According to a report in the German magazine ADAC Motorwelt, the Audi TT is made in Hungary, the Opel Astra in Belgium, England and Poland, the Porsche Boxster in Finland and the VW Polo in Spain and Slovakia. And manufacturers are also increasingly purchasing parts and components in foreign countries as the vertical range of manufacture decreases. The proportion of vehicle parts produced in Germany has fallen from 35 % in 1991 to 25 % in 2001. Parts and components are often procured from suppliers all around the world.
The Opel Vectra is a good example of this development. It is produced at the Rüsselsheim plant, opened in 2002. Figure 2.10 clearly demonstrates that the Vectra is a real “European,” with components from many different places.
The Opel Vectra and the origin of essential components. Source: Based on ADAC Motorwelt, 2/2007, p. 46f
The establishment of international business relationships and networks has brought Opel great potential advantages (refer to Chap. 1). But a cooperative relationship between a manufacturer like Opel and a potential supplier is definitely not easy. It is plagued by uncertainties. Manufacturers and suppliers negotiate early, meaning they discuss a service that is not yet in existence. Many issues cannot be definitely resolved: Does the supplier properly meet the expectations and what will be the actual cost-benefit ratio? Which roles do trade unions and strikes in the supplier’s country play? If a bottleneck occurs, might a supplier in a foreign country give preference to customers in his home country?
The transaction is fraught with uncertainties for the supplier as well. The exclusive cooperation with the German manufacturer appears to be worthwhile at first glance. But how will the cooperation be over the long term? Will the forecast quantities be achieved, amortizing the required investments and producing profits? Will the manufacturer remain as cooperative as implied in initial discussions? Or is there a risk of an “extended workbench” occurring and having to accept prices that barely cover costs?
Discuss the risks that the potential benefits of the business relationship could endanger from the perspective of the manufacturer and his suppliers. Then consider how to manage the risk involved in business relationships.
Additional Exercises
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1.
Explain the fundamental pattern of customer loyalty from a behavioral perspective. Which concepts are you familiar with within this perspective that explain the origin of customer loyalty, and are these concepts sufficient to thoroughly explain the (re)purchasing behavior of companies?
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2.
Explain the social psychological approach of Thibaut and Kelley in light of the origin of organizational business relationships.
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3.
What is the main feature that differentiates transaction marketing from relationship marketing? What are the consequences for the commitment between the customer and the in-supplier?
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4.
Which different types of specificity do you know about?
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5.
Explain the components of switching costs that a purchaser incurs when changing the in-supplier.
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6.
What significance does the value of a business relationship hold for the loyalty between customer and in-supplier?
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7.
State and explain the commitment drivers in business relationships.
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8.
Differentiate the essential tasks of managing a business relationship in light of the individual replacement phases from the tasks of managing a market transaction.
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Kleinaltenkamp, M., Plinke, W., Söllner, A. (2015). Theoretical Perspectives of Business Relationships: Explanation and Configuration. In: Kleinaltenkamp, M., Plinke, W., Geiger, I. (eds) Business Relationship Management and Marketing. Springer Texts in Business and Economics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43856-5_2
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