Purchaser perceptions of early phase supplier relationships: The role of similarity and likeability

• Published in: Journal of business research Vol. 128; pp. 174 - 186
• Main Authors: Nagel, Duane M., Giunipero, Larry, Jung, Hyeyoon, Salas, Jim, Hochstein, Bryan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-05-2021; Elsevier B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Business schools; Buyer-seller relationships; Likeability; Logistics; Marketing; Relational Governance; Relationship marketing; Similarity; Swift trust; Relationship marketing; Swift trust; Relational Governance; Buyer-seller relationships; Similarity; Likeability
• ISSN: 0148-2963; 1873-7978
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.01.026

We investigate trust formation in the understudied area of early-phase relationship and its effects on the selection of purchaser-supplier governance. The theoretical framework underlying the research draws on purchaser/supplier relationships, swift/affective trust formation, social exchange theory, and transaction cost analysis to develop the hypotheses. This study is the first to provide insights into early phase relationships and demonstrate that purchaser-supplier similarity and supplier’s likeability are significantly related to purchaser trust in suppliers. In particular, similarity has a stronger positive relationship with trust than supplier likeability. The combined results of a field study and a scenario-based experiment offer strong evidence that suppliers’ similarity and likeability play a key role in forming early trust and governance selection.