The Role of Motivated Reasoning in Vendor Consideration

This is a conceptual article dealing with the role of motivated reasoning in vendor selection. The authors argue that organizational buyers’ motivated reasoning, along with the task characteristics of perceived importance and familiarity, plays an important role in determining whether an open or a closed consideration will be used for vendor selection. Based on the relationship between motivated reasoning and task characteristics, the authors develop several propositions. To market their products successfully, business-to-business marketers need an understanding of organizational buying behavior and vendor choice criteria (Heide & Weiss, 1995; McQuiston, 1989). In the past, most research has made an implicit assumption that organizational buying behavior is objective (Johnston, 1981). However, because many decisions in organizational buying have to be made under conditions of uncertainty, it is difficult to ignore the presence of subjective judgments and biased decision making. Sometimes this subjectivity is subconscious, and many good buyers unintentionally make a biased decision when selecting a vendor. At other times, bias results under conditions where buyers make a decision that is easy to justify and accept. For example, despite the possibility of getting a better deal, some buyers prefer existing vendors to new suppliers (Vyas & Woodside, 1984). In many situations, the selection of an ex586 P a r k , S o h i , & M a r q u a r d t i n P s y c h o l o g y & M a r k e t i n g 14 (1997) isting vendor may elicit a positive response from a superior, whereas the selection of a new vendor may require a great deal of justification. There are many factors that contribute to subjectivity and biased decision making in organizational buying behavior. In this article we focus on one such set of factors and discuss the possible influence of buyers’ motivated reasoning (Kunda, 1990) on vendor selection. Although there is a considerable amount of research on organizational buying behavior, a very limited amount is directed toward vendor selection (see Table 1 for a summary of vendor choice studies). Some of the Table 1. Summary of Vendor Choice Studies Study Focus of study Findings/Suggestions Dickson (1966) Identified the relevant Found three crucial factors in attributes utilized in vendor vendor choice: product selection decisions. quality, delivery time, and vendor history. Robinson, Faris, An eight-stage model of the Suggested three antecedents and Wind (1967) buying process, combined that determine purchase with three types of purchase situations. situations. Berens (1972) Developed a decision matrix Suggested evaluative criteria approach to vendor for minimizing bias in evaluation and selection. vendor selection. Cunningham and Identified the important Past experience was the White (1973) factors bearing upon the strongest determinant of a patronage decision. buyer’s patronage decision. Dempsey (1978) Assessed the importance of Found that vendor attributes vendor attributes and buyer change in degree of information sources in importance from the new connection with two task to the modified rebuy different buying tasks. task. McGoldrick and Identified the key factors in the Found that the general Douglas (1983) vendor selection decision and reliability of the vendor evaluate their relative was much more important importance. than trade incentives. Vyas and Woodside Developed a model of Found that buyers gave (1984) industrial supplier choice existing vendors the processes. Provided detailed opportunity to match the description and a flowchart lower price quoted by the of the choice process. new vendor. Shipley (1985) Identified resellers’ vendor Found that vendor’s product choice criteria in forming quality, price, and delivery patronage choices. capabilities were important but not sufficient determinants of vendor choices.