Buyer-supplier relationship development – Empirical identification and quantification

Our study aims at identifying and quantifying buyer-supplier relationships from the buyer’s perspective. Whereas other relationship development studies are highly conceptual in nature, our study is firmly grounded in empirical research. The designed model is based on the results of interviews with expert practitioners and includes a succession of five stages that occur after initial transactions have been established between partners. Contrary to other studies, our model explicitly includes a terminating phase. Furthermore, we test hypotheses pertaining to several relationship characteristics in the identified stages of relationship development. Survey data allows us to verify the insights from theoretical studies in the field of buyer-supplier relationship development.