Transaction cost economics, resource dependence theory, and customer-supplier relationships

Abstract

This study develops and then tests an expanded conceptual framework for understanding relational customer–supplier exchanges. The explanatory power of transaction cost economics and resource dependence theory is examined, first individually, and then the theories are unified to provide a more comprehensive model for understanding of firms’ decisions to pursue relational exchanges. Regression analyses performed on data from 372 pulp, paper, and paperboard mills indicate that the combined framework provides a better explanation of customer choices than either theory individually. Implications and future research are discussed.

Cite this work

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 102 citations exist upstream.