Share:


Continuity, coordination and cooperation as mediators between economic and non-economic satisfaction – a sales perspective

    Nils M. Høgevold Affiliation
    ; Göran Svensson Affiliation
    ; Pierre Mostert   Affiliation
    ; Mariëtte L. Zietsman Affiliation

Abstract

There is a gap in literature as to how multidimensional satisfaction fits into a nomological network with continuity, coordination and cooperation. Furthermore, most studies focusing on these constructs are limited to a buyer perspective. The objective of this study is to fill this gap by testing a model whereby continuity, coordination and cooperation are regarded as mediators between economic and non-economic satisfaction specifically within business-sales representative relationships, thereby establishing a foundation to assess the structural properties between economic satisfaction and non-economic satisfaction within a business sales context. Managerial implications offered in the paper were discussed and the practical relevance and implementation thereof validated by experienced sales directors. This study contributes by revealing that continuity, coordination and cooperation to some extent mediates separately as well as cumulatively the relationship between economic satisfaction and non-economic satisfaction within a business sales context. Subsequently, it contributes by extending our understanding in relation to existing theory and previous studies of business relationships to a business sales perspective.

Keyword : economic satisfaction, non-economic satisfaction, continuity, coordination, cooperation, business sales relationships

How to Cite
Høgevold, N. M., Svensson, G., Mostert, P., & Zietsman, M. L. (2020). Continuity, coordination and cooperation as mediators between economic and non-economic satisfaction – a sales perspective. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 21(6), 1752-1773. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2020.13506
Published in Issue
Oct 19, 2020
Abstract Views
1060
PDF Downloads
750
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Anderson, J. C., & Narus, J. A. (1990). A model of distributor firm and manufacturer firm working partnerships. Journal of Marketing, 48(4), 62–74. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224298404800407

Bradford, K. D., Liu, Y., Shi, Y., Weitz, B. A., & Xu, J. (2019). Harnessing internal support to enhance customer relationships: The role of networking, helping, and allocentrism. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 27(2), 140–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/10696679.2019.1577687

Campbell, D. T. (1955). The informant in quantitative research. American Journal of Sociology, 60(3), 339–342. https://doi.org/10.1086/221565

Chu, S., Cao, Y., Yang, J., & Mundel, J. (2019) Understanding advertising client–agency relationships in China: A multimethod approach to investigate Guanxi dimensions and agency performance. Journal of Advertising, 48(5), 473–494. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2019.1663318

Dabholkar, P. A., Johnston, W. J., & Cathey, A. S. (1994). The dynamics of long-term business-tobusiness exchange relationships. Journal of Academy of Marketing Science, 22(2), 130–145. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070394222003

Del Bosque Rodriguez, I., Collado Agudo, J., & San Martín Gutiérrez, H. (2006). Determinants of economic and social satisfaction in manufacturer-distributor relationships. Industrial Marketing Management, 35, 666–675. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2005.05.006

Farrelly, F. J., & Quester, P. J. (2005). Examining important relationship quality constructs of the focal sponsorship exchange. Industrial Marketing Management, 34(3), 211–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2004.09.003

Fehr, L. C. F., & Rocha, W. (2018). Open-book accounting and trust: Influence on buyer-supplier relationship. RAUSP Management Journal, 53(4), 597–621. https://doi.org/10.1108/RAUSP-06-2018-0034

Ferro, C., Padín, C., Svensson, G., & Payan, J. (2016). Trust and commitment as mediators between economic and non-economic satisfaction in manufacturer-supplier relationships. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 31(1), 13–23. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-07-2013-0154

Friend, S. B., Johnson, J. S., & Sohi, R. S. (2018). Propensity to trust salespeople: A contingent multilevel-multisource examination. Journal of Business Research, 83, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2017.09.048

Garbarino, E., & Johnson, M. S. (1999). The different roles of satisfaction, trust, and commitment in customer relationships. The Journal of Marketing, 63(2), 70–87. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299906300205

Geyskens, I., & Steenkamp, J. E. M. (2000). Economic and social satisfaction: Measurement and relevance to marketing channel relationships. Journal of Retailing, 76(1), 11–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4359(99)00021-4

Geyskens, I., Steenkamp, J. E. M., & Kumar, N. (1999). A meta-analysis of satisfaction in marketing channel relationships. Journal of Marketing Research, 36(2), 223–239. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224379903600207

Glas, A. H., Lipka, P., & Essig, M. (2019). Misperceptions in interfunctional supply management: Workshare coordination vs. integrated cooperation. Supply Chain Forum: An International Journal, 20(2), 89–103. https://doi.org/10.1080/16258312.2019.1586268

Glavee-Geo, R. (2019). Does supplier development lead to supplier satisfaction and relationship continuation? Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 25, 100537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pursup.2019.05.002

Goncalves, H. M., & Sampaio, P. (2012). The customer satisfaction-customer loyalty relationship. Management Decision, 50(9), 1509–1526. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251741211266660

Grewal, D., & Sharma, A. (1991). The effect of salesforce behavior on customer satisfaction: An interactive framework. The Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, 11(3), 13–23.

Hagen, J. M., & Choe, S. (1998). Trust in Japanese interfirm relations: Institutional sanctions matter. Academy of Management Review, 23(3), 589–600. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1998.926628

Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L. (2006). Multivariate data analysis (6th ed.). Prentice Hall.

Harmon, T. R., & Griffiths, M. A. (2008). Franchisee perceived relationship value. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 23(4), 256–263. https://doi.org/10.1108/08858620810865834

Høgevold, N., Svensson, G., & Otero-Neira, C. (2019). Validating action and social alignment constituents of collaboration in business relationships: A sales perspective. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 37(7), 721–740. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-12-2018-0577

Holm, D. B., Eriksson, K., & Johanson, J. (1996). Global perspectives on cooperative strategies. Journal of International Business Studies, 27(5), 1033–1053. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490162

Huntley, J. K. (2006). Conceptualization and measurement of relationship quality: Linking relationship quality to actual sales and recommendation intention. Industrial Marketing Management, 35(6), 703–714. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2005.05.011

Hyun, S. S. (2010). Predictors of relationship quality and loyalty in the chain restaurant industry. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 51(2), 251–267. https://doi.org/10.1177/1938965510363264

Jap, S. D. (2001). The strategic role of the salesforce in developing customer satisfaction across the relationship lifecycle. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 21(2), 95–108.

Jiang, Z., Shiu, E., Henneberg, S., & Naude, P. (2016). Relationship quality in business to business relationships – Reviewing the current literatures and proposing a new measurement model. Psychology & Marketing, 33(4), 297–313. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20876

Jones, M. A., & Suh, J. (2000). Transaction-specific satisfaction and overall satisfaction: An empirical analysis. Journal of Services Marketing, 14(2), 147–159. https://doi.org/10.1108/08876040010371555

Ju, C. B., & Ha, Y. (2019). An empirical analysis of the stage model of business-to-business relationships in South Korea: A longitudinal study. Asia Pacific Business Review, 25(3), 367–391. https://doi.org/10.1080/13602381.2018.1551987

Kang, J., Asare, A. K., Brashear-Alejandro, T., Granot, E., & Li, P. (2018). Interorganizational drivers of channel performance: A meta-analytic structural model. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 33(2), 193–195. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-09-2016-0218

Kumar, N., Scheer, L. K., & Steenkamp, J. E. M. (1995). The effects of perceived interdependence on dealer attitudes. Journal of Marketing Research, 32(3), 348–356. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224379503200309

Latdict. (2018). Latin dictionary & grammar resources. http://latin-dictionary.net/definition/14137/cooperor-cooperari-cooperatus

Lee, D., Jeong, I., Lee, H., & Sung, J. (2008). Developing a model of reciprocity in the importer–exporter relationship: The relative efficacy of economic versus social factors. Industrial Marketing Management, 37(1), 9–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2007.06.009

Lussier, B., & Hall, Z. R. (2018). Cooperation in B2B relationships: Factors that influence customers’ perceptions of salesperson cooperation. Industrial Marketing Management, 69, 209–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2017.09.019

Malone, T. W. (1988). What is Coordination Theory? Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.

Malone, T. W., & Crowston, K. (1994). The interdisciplinary study of coordination. ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), 26(1), 87–119. https://doi.org/10.1145/174666.174668

Mangus, S. M., & Ruvio, A. (2019). Do opposites attract? Assimilation and differentiation as relationship-building strategies. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 39(1), 60–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2018.1471696

Mbango, P., & Mmatli, W. (2019). Precursors and outcomes of satisfaction in business-to-business relationship marketing: Insights from Hawkers/street vendors leafy vegetable market in South Africa. Cogent Social Sciences, 5(1), 1573954. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2019.1573954

McNeilly, K. M., & Russ, F. A. (1992). Coordination in the marketing channel. Advances in Distribution Channel Research, 1(2), 161–186.

Medlin, C. J., Aurifeille, J., & Quester, P. G. (2005). A collaborative interest model of relational coordination and empirical results. Journal of Business Research, 58(2), 214–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0148-2963(02)00496-4

Morgan, R. M., & Hunt, S. D. (1994). The commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing. The Journal of Marketing, 58(3), 20–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299405800302

Mpinganjira, M., Bogaards, M., Svensson, G., Mysen, T., & Padín, C. (2013). Satisfaction in relation to the metrics of quality constructs in South African manufacturer-supplier relationships. Esic Market Economic and Business Journal, 44(1), 55–71. https://doi.org/10.7200/esicm.144.0441.2i

Mpinganjira, M., Roberts-Lombard, M., & Svensson, G. (2017). Validating the relationship between trust, commitment, economic and non-economic satisfaction in South African buyer-supplier relationships. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 32(3), 421–431. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-04-2015-0073

Mungra, Y., & Yadav, P. K. (2020). The mediating effect of satisfaction on trust-commitment and relational outcomes in manufacturer–supplier relationship. Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 35(2), 219–230. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-09-2018-0268

Naudé, P., & Buttle, F. (2000). Assessing relationship quality. Industrial Marketing Management, 29(4), 351–361. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0019-8501(00)00112-7

Noordewier, T. G., John, G., & Nevin, J. R. (1990). Performance outcomes of purchasing arrangements in industrial buyer-vendor relationships. The Journal of Marketing, 54(4), 80–93. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299005400407

Nyaga, G. N., Whipple, J. M., & Lynch, D. F. (2010). Examining supply chain relationships: Do buyer and supplier perspectives on collaborative relationships differ? Journal of Operations Management, 28(2), 101–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2009.07.005

Oliver, R. L., Rust, R. T., & Varki, S. (1997). Customer delight: Foundations, findings, and managerial insight. Journal of Retailing, 73(3), 311–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4359(97)90021-X

Padín, C., Ferro, C., & Svensson, G. (2017). Validity and reliability of satisfaction as a mediator between quality constructs in manufacturer–supplier relationships through time and across contexts. Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, 24(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2016.1275799

Palmatier, R. W. (2008). Relationship marketing. Marketing Science Institute, Cambridge, Mass.

Palmatier, R. W., Dant, R. P., Grewal, D., & Evans, K. R. (2006). Factors influencing the effectiveness of relationship marketing: A meta-analysis. Journal of Marketing, 70(4), 136–153. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.70.4.136

Payan, J. M., & Svensson, G. (2007). Co-operation, coordination, and specific assets in inter-organisational relationships. Journal of Marketing Management, 23(7–8), 797–813. https://doi.org/10.1362/026725707X230045

Payan, J. M., Padín, C., Ferro, C., & Svensson, G. (2019). Action and social alignment components of collaboration in SME business relationships. Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship, 31(6), 463–481. https://doi.org/10.1080/08276331.2018.1459014

Payan, J. M., Svensson, G., Awuah, G., Andersson, S., & Hair, J. (2010). A cross‐cultural RELQUALscale in supplier‐distributor relationships of Sweden and the USA. International Marketing Review, 27(5), 541–561. https://doi.org/10.1108/02651331011076581

Pei, Z., Yan, R., & Ghose, S. (2020). Which one is more valuable in coordinating the online and offline distribution? Service support or online price coordination. Industrial Marketing Management, 87, 150–159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.02.007

Poppo, L., & Zenger, T. (2002). Do formal contracts and relational governance function as substitutes or complements? Strategic Management Journal, 23(8), 707–725. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.249

Rauyruen, P., & Miller, K. E. (2007). Relationship quality as a predictor of B2B customer loyalty. Journal of Business Research, 60(1), 31–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2005.11.006

Rodriguez, R., Svensson, G., & Román, R. (2018). Comparing the life-cycles of service sales between buyers and sellers in business relationships through a teleological lens. International Journal of Business Excellence, 15(1), 95–113. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBEX.2018.091282

Rutherford, B. (2012). Building buyer commitment to the salesperson. Journal of Business Research, 65(7), 960–967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.05.001

Sahadev, S. (2008). Economic satisfaction and relationship commitment in channels: The moderating role of environmental uncertainty, collaborative communication and coordination strategy. European Journal of Marketing, 42(1/2), 178–195. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560810840961

Sanzo, M. J., Santos, L., Vásquez, R., & Álvarez, L. I. (2003). The effect of market orientation on buyerseller relationship satisfaction. Industrial Marketing Management, 32(4), 327–345. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0019-8501(01)00200-0

Sarmah, S. P., Acharya, D., & Goyal, S. K. (2006). Buyer vendor coordination models in supply chain management. European Journal of Operational Research, 175(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2005.08.006

Sosa-Varela, J. C., Svensson, G., & Mysen, T. (2011). A construct of META-RELQUAL in Puerto Rican business relationships. ESIC Market, 140, 27–55.

Svensson, G., & Mysen, T. (2011). A construct of META-RELQUAL: Measurement model and theory testing. Baltic Journal of Management, 6(2), 227–244. https://doi.org/10.1108/17465261111131820

Svensson, G., Mysen, T., & Payan, J. (2010). Balancing the sequential logic of quality constructs in manufacturing-supplier relationships – Causes and outcomes. Journal of Business Research, 63(11), 1209–1214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2009.10.019

Svensson, G., Mysen, T., Rindell, A., & Billström, A. (2013). Validation of a META-RELQUAL construct through a Nordic comparative study. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 31(1), 72–87. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634501311292939

Ting, S. (2011). The role of justice in determining relationship quality. Journal of Relationship Marketing, 10(2), 57–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332667.2011.577732

Ulaga, W., & Eggert, A. (2006). Relationship value and relationship quality. Broadening the nomological network of business-to-business relationships. European Journal of Marketing, 40(3/4), 311–327. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560610648075

Wilson, E. J., & Nielson, C. C. (2001). Cooperation and continuity in strategic business relationships. Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, 8(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1300/J033v08n01_01

Woo, K., & Ennew, C. T. (2004). Business-to-business relationship quality: An IMP interaction-based conceptualization and measurement. European Journal of Marketing, 38(9/10), 1252–1271. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560410548960