Buyer-Supplier Relationship in the Adoption of e-Purchasing in the Small and Medium Printing Industries in Singapore: An Empirical Test Using Structural Equation Modelling

This research aims to explore how buyer-supplier relationship impacts the intention to adopt electronic purchasing (e-purchasing) by the printing industry in Singapore. The study utilizes the key concepts of organizational buying behaviour in terms of buyersupplier relationship. A research model combining the theory of buyer-seller relationship and organizational culture with aspects of Innovation Diffusion Theory is developed. The model is tested by collecting data from the samples of executives from the printing industry (SMEs) in Singapore. The responses are analyzed by Partial Least Square (PLS) based Structural Equation Modelling approach. It is observed that buyer-supplier relationship strongly influences individual factor and organizational factor. However, organizational factor in turn does not significantly influence the intention to adopt epurchasing. The only factor which significantly influences e-purchasing is perceived characteristics of e-purchasing. The implications of the results are highlighted. The results of this study will contribute to the existing theory and to the prospective adopters of e-purchasing in the printing industry in Singapore.

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