Alliances in Industrial Purchasing: The Determinants of Joint Action in Buyer- Supplier Relationships

Recent trends in industrial markets indicate that buyers and sellers are increasingly supplanting conventional "arm's length" arrangements with "alliances" involving closer ties. The authors develop a theoretical model of industrial buyer-supplier ties that presents ioint action as a key aspect of closeness. Whereas conventional ties emphasize a clearly defined division of labor, these newer relationships are distinguished by more tightly integrated roles based on undertaking activities jointly. Drawing primarily on a normative theory of transaction costs, the authors identify the conditions under which these relationships are useful. The utility of the relationships derives from an ability to safeguard relationship-specific investments and to facilitate adaptation to uncertainty. Using data from a sample of industrial firms and their suppliers, the authors test these predictions. The results show good support