Asymmetrical Commitment in Business Relationships

Abstract Previous studies on the nature of close business relationships have emphasized the advantages of close and integrated long-term relationships. Accordingly, most definitions of relational exchange are given in terms of desired advantages and do not indicate the necessary inputs and potential risks. Furthermore, knowledge about the institutions governing relational exchange in order to protect the desired outputs remains limited. The author claims that the construct of commitment can help explain the functioning of close interorganizational relationships with respect to risks, governance mechanisms, and results of relational exchange. A preliminary empirical test of the model shows good support for the author's hypotheses.

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