Dependence in buyer supplier relationships

Edition KWV Tobias Mandt Dependence in Buyer-Supplier Relationships Edition KWV Die „Edition KWV“ beinhaltet hochwertige Werke aus dem Bereich der Wirtschaftswis­sen­ schaften Alle Werke in der Reihe erschienen ursprünglich im Kölner Wissenschaftsverlag, dessen Programm Springer Gabler 2018 übernommen hat Weitere Bände in der Reihe http://www.springer.com/series/16033 Tobias Mandt Dependence in Buyer-Supplier Relationships Tobias Mandt Wiesbaden, Germany Bis 2018 erschien der Titel im Kölner Wissenschaftsverlag, Köln Edition KWV ISBN 978-3-658-24251-0 ISBN 978-3-658-24252-7  (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-24252-7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2019934950 Springer Gabler © Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH, part of Springer Nature 2018, Reprint 2019 Originally published by Kölner Wissenschaftsverlag, Köln, 2018 This work is subject to copyright All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of 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jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations This Springer Gabler imprint is published by the registered company Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH part of Springer Nature The registered company address is: Abraham-Lincoln-Str 46, 65189 Wiesbaden, Germany Geleitwort In der vorliegenden Dissertation thematisiert Tobias Mandt sogenannte Käufer-Zulieferer-Beziehungen (KZB), die in der Praxis in verschiedenen Erscheinungsformen auftreten Sie sind in Outsourcing-Verhältnissen, Service- oder Zulieferbeziehungen zu beobachten und wegen des sich intensivierenden Austauschverhältnisses von einem einmaligen Kauf bis zu einem regelmäßigen Austausch oftmals durch ihren evolutionären Charakter gekennzeichnet Die bisherige Forschung zu KZB hat sich insbesondere damit beschäftigt, herauszufinden, welche Faktoren solche langfristigen Austausche grundsätzlich ermöglichen und am Leben erhalten Dabei werden insbesondere gegenseitiges Vertrauen, Loyalität, ein Beziehungsbekenntnis und Abhängigkeit zwischen den Partnern als entscheidende Parameter diskutiert Die Abhängigkeit zwischen Partnern in KZB als besonders kritisches und übergeordnetes Konstrukt wurde bereits intensiv untersucht, die Literatur weist aber dennoch einige grundlegende und wesentliche Forschungslücken auf Hier setzt die vorliegende Dissertation an und verfolgt das Ziel, in vier fokussierten Beiträgen zunächst einen ordnenden Überblick über das zerklüftete Themengebiet zu geben, sodann ein Verständnis für die Entstehung von Abhängigkeiten zu entwickeln, die daraus resultierenden Formen von Abhängigkeiten genauer zu unterscheiden und Handlungsempfehlungen für betroffene Unternehmen herauszuarbeiten Insgesamt strebt die Arbeit eine langfristige Perspektive an, mit dem Ziel, die Entwicklungsphasen von Abhängigkeiten in KZB zu identifizieren Mit dem Beitrag „Dependence in Buyer-Supplier Relationships – Present State and Future Perspectives“ gelingt es dem Autor ausgezeichnet, in Form eines strukturierten Literaturüberblicks das bisher fragmentierte Forschungsfeld transparent aufzuarbeiten und Anknüpfungspunkte für die weitere Forschung aufzuzeigen, die sich in den nachfolgenden Beiträgen der Dissertation wiederfinden lassen Die Studie „The Emergence of Dependence and Lock-in Effects in Buyer-Supplier Relationships – A Buyer Perspective“ untersucht das Zusammenspiel einzelner Faktoren in Wirkungszusammenhängen explorativ und zeigt auf, wie Abhängigkeiten und deren stärkste Formen der „Lock-in-Effekte“ in KZB entstehen Obwohl diese Studie nur auf einem Einzelfall beruht, liefert sie eine ausgezeichnete Anwendung der qualitativen Grounded-Theory-Methodik auf hohem Niveau Mit der Arbeit „Managing Distinct Buyer-Supplier Relationships – A Typological Differentiation“ setzt es sich der Autor zum Ziel, die gegensätzlichen Managementempfehlungen der bisherigen Forschung zum Umgang mit Abhängigkeiten in KZB zu integrieren Die These des Beitrags lautet, dass die bisherigen Empfehlungen sich nicht gegenseitig ausschließen, sondern vielmehr in der richtigen Abhängigkeitssituation angewendet werden müssen und keine pauschale Gültigkeit besitzen Mit diesem komplexen Beitrag ge- lingt dem Autor eine stringente und logische Argumentation, die sowohl durch die Ableitung von Strategiegruppen als auch mithilfe einer typologisierten Darstellung von Abhängigkeitssituationen die bestehende Forschung in beachtlicher Weise bereichert In dem Beitrag „Phases and Drivers of Buyer-Supplier Dependence – Developmental Insights of a Logistics-Service Relationship in Textile Retailing“ wählt der Autor passend einen qualitativen, prozessorientierten Fallstudienansatz, um einen Einzelfall einer Logistikdienstleistungsbeziehung in der Textilbranche zu untersuchen Es gelingt ihm, den konkreten Fall theoretisch zu beleuchten und fünf Phasen der Abhängigkeitsentwicklung abzuleiten Dieses Phasenmodell ist hoch interessant und kann mit der Ableitung verschiedener Triebkräfte der Phasenentwicklung absolut überzeugen Insgesamt ist es Tobias Mandt mit der vorliegenden Dissertation ausgezeichnet gelungen, einen integrativen Überblick über das Themengebiet der Abhängigkeiten in KZB zu geben, ein Verständnis für die Entstehung von Abhängigkeiten, deren unterschiedliche Formen und Managementansätze zu entwickeln sowie Entwicklungsphasen von Abhängigkeiten in KZB zu identifizieren In seiner methodisch breit aufgestellten Arbeit gelingt es dem Autor in bemerkenswerter Weise, neue und weiterführende Beiträge zum Forschungsfeld zu leisten Ich wünsche der Arbeit eine breite Diskussion in Wissenschaft und Praxis Werner Delfmann vi Vorwort Eine langjährige und enge Beziehung zwischen zwei kooperierenden Parteien gilt in der Management-Literatur oftmals als Ursache für gegenseitige Abhängigkeiten Diese wiederum sind laut der vorherrschenden Meinung negativ konnotiert und sollten von den Akteuren vermieden werden Dennoch stimme ich am Ende meiner Promotion mit denjenigen überein, die eine intensive und beständige Zusammenarbeit zwischen Partnern als Erfolgsfaktor für die gemeinsame Arbeit der betroffenen Akteure ansehen Denn auch dieses Buch würde heute nicht vor Ihnen liegen, wenn ich nicht von Personen umgeben gewesen wäre, die diese Promotion überhaupt erst möglich gemacht haben: Meine Familie, die Angehörigen des Seminars für Unternehmensführung & Logistik und die vielen bekannten und unbekannten Diskutanten auf Forschungskonferenzen sind in den letzten viereinhalb Jahren zu dem Kreis geworden, dem ich schließlich die Fertigstellung meiner Doktorarbeit von den ersten Schritten bis hin zum Zielsprint verdanke Und so endet meine Promotion zwar mit einem intensiven Sprint, ähnelt in ihrer Rückschau aber in vielerlei Hinsicht eher einem lange vorbereiteten Marathon Meine Motivation, bei meinem persönlichen Marathon anzutreten, bestand weniger darin, schlicht die Ziellinie zu überqueren, sondern darin, aus Freude am eigentlichen Weg an den Start zu gehen Unterwegs und am Streckenrand gab es viele Begleiter, die auf unterschiedliche Weise meinen Lauf unterstützt haben und denen ein besonderer Dank gebührt: Meine Rennleitung bestand allen voran aus Prof Dr Dr h.c Werner Delfmann Ich danke ihm für den günstigen Startplatz, das Abnehmen von Zwischenzeiten, das Aufzeigen entscheidender Wegbiegungen und nicht zuletzt für alle Freiheiten und das Wohlfühl-Umfeld aus Mitstreitern am Seminar für Unternehmensführung & Logistik Die Rennleitung ergänzt haben Prof Dr Werner Reinartz und Prof Dr Franziska Völckner, denen ich besonders für Ihre Unterstützung beim Zieleinlauf meiner Promotion danke Zu den wichtigsten Renn-Organisatoren gehören Heike Kirch und Hilde Reuter, die vom Start bis ins Ziel jede erdenkliche Hilfe geleistet, die wichtigen Verpflegungsstände – sowohl im wörtlichen als auch im übertragenen Sinne – bereitgestellt und damit für optimale Rahmenbedingungen gesorgt haben Nicht zuletzt danke ich allen Interviewpartnern meiner Fallstudien, die mit ihrer Offenheit und Gesprächsbereitschaft die zu bewältigende Strecke mitgestaltet haben Nicht nur für die entscheidende initiale Aufforderung und Ermunterung, bei diesem Marathon an den Start zu gehen, danke ich Prof Dr Sascha Albers, sondern auch für seinen stetigen freundschaftlichen und wissenschaftlichen Rat sowie die gute Zeit auf gemeinsamen Konferenzreisen Nach meiner Entscheidung am Lauf teilzunehmen, begann die intensive Vorbereitung auf den Start Hierbei hatte ich das Glück, andere Läufer um mich zu haben, die mich mitgezogen und ihre Erfahrungen weitergegeben haben Ich danke daher ganz besonders meinen persönlichen „Trainern“ und Co-Autoren Dr Bastian Schweiger und Dr Jost Daft, die mich nicht nur bei den ersten Schritten auf zahlreichen Tagungen begleitet und während inhaltlicher Diskussionen an die Wissenschaft herangeführt haben, sondern die mir auch unterwegs halfen, die nötige Geschwindigkeit aufzunehmen und mit permanentem Antrieb das Tempo bis ins Ziel hochzuhalten Sobald dann der tatsächliche Startschuss gefallen war, kam es darauf an, im Gewusel der Startphase nicht den Überblick zu verlieren, zu schnell voranzupreschen oder vom Weg abzukommen Ich danke Jun.-Prof Dr Anne Lange für die vielen Ratschläge, das An-dieHand-nehmen und die Fokussierung auf die wesentlichen Aspekte gerade in dieser Anfangsphase, aber auch auf dem ganzen Weg der Dissertation Einmal auf gutem Weg galt es dann, den eigenen Rhythmus zu finden, um erfolgreich in möglichst guter Zeit das Ziel zu erreichen Dazu braucht man um sich herum gleichgesinnte Mitstreiter, die auch zur selben Zeit dieses Ziel erreichen wollen Ich danke daher meinen Trainingspartnern Dr Stefanie Dorn und Dr Simon Krapp für ihre langjährige, freundschaftliche Begleitung „vom Hiwi bis zum Doktor“, das gegenseitige Aufbauen und Unterstützen, die gemeinsamen Reisen und die vielen heiteren Momente in den letzten Jahren Zudem geht ein besonderer Dank an Ralph Müßig, der durch alle Phasen des Rennens hinweg bei zahlreichen Gesprächen, abendlichen Laufrunden und anschließenden Kaltgetränken verlässlich nicht nur mit seinen Erfahrungen und Ratschlägen geholfen hat, sondern auch für die nötige Lockerheit sorgte Ein Lauf ist jedoch nichts ohne das gesamte Läuferfeld, das ebenfalls zum Rennen angetreten ist und dessen kollegiale Unterstützung das Promovieren leicht gemacht hat Ich danke daher Dr Tobias Lukowitz, Thilo Heyer und Simon von Danwitz sowie Paul Schneider, Dr Falco Jaekel, Christoph Menke und Oliver Wirths für ihren engagierten Beitrag Wer einen Marathon gemeistert hat, der weiß, dass es unterwegs sowohl Phasen gibt, in denen alles wie von selbst läuft, aber das auch längere Durchhänger und Durststrecken zu überstehen sind, während derer man leicht die Machbarkeit des Vorhabens in Frage stellen kann In solchen Situationen hilft oftmals nur das Publikum, ohne dessen Anfeuerungen und Unterstützung von aen schnell die nưtige Energie für das Durchhalten verloren geht Deshalb gilt mein besonderer Dank meiner Familie, Hildegard, Heinz Peter und Simone Schmitz, Kethe Lützler, Iris, Norbert und Christina Mandt, die mir jederzeit die Wegstrecke freigehalten, bei Bedarf Verpflegung gereicht und gre Zuversicht verbreitet haben Mein grưßter Dank gilt aber meiner Frau Isabell, die mich nicht nur zu Beginn zur Promotion ermutigt, sondern mit der ich die Erfahrung einer Promotion über alle Höhen und Tiefen hinweg teilen konnte und dabei mein Rückhalt war Gegenseitiges Verständnis, unzählige Gespräche über unsere Projekte und aufmunternder Zuspruch haben mich stets motiviert und waren meine grưßte Hilfe, insbesondere in Nachtschichten vor drohenden Abgabefristen Ihnen allen ist dieses Buch gewidmet viii Im Ziel angekommen, ist die Freude über das Erreichte groß Ich bin dankbar für die Zeit am Seminar für Unternehmensführung & Logistik und für die Möglichkeit, die oben genannten Menschen durch den Promotionsmarathon kennengelernt zu haben Obwohl das zurückgelegte Rennen angestrengt hat, diskutiert man im Ziel eines solchen Laufs unter allen Beteiligten immer dieselbe Frage: „Würdest Du nochmal an den Start gehen?“ - Also ich wäre dabei Tobias Mandt ix TOBIAS MANDT superiority of the relationship, as opposed to alternative relations (Anderson & Narus, 1990) However, the weaker partner continues to fear the negative consequences of its dependency and will thus try to achieve a balanced state This is the trigger for the realignment phase, which serves as a period during which the form of exchange is restarted after being rearranged This realignment affects the trust level of both partners because potential fears and hidden agendas can be cleared up (L5, 2016; T2, 2016) This leveling of the playing field turns the dependence relation from a potential threat into a potential source for further integration, efficiency generation and thus competitive advantage (L2, 2016; T1, 2016) Hence, the leverage phase describes the recognition of both partners to use their dependent BSR as a shared approach to foster their individual businesses and realize their goals Summing up, this BSD phase model describes a starting point, followed by a dependence growth phase, a turning and a reorganization of the exchange, before BSD continues to increase as part of a strategic relationship On a more abstract level, these phases can also be regarded as two repeating sequences of metaphases called dependence buildup (formation and realignment phase) and extension (stabilization and leverage phase), which are separated by the wake-up and defense phase Looking even further ahead, the phase model suggests intervals between these metaphases with an increasing dependence level to be entered after each sequence, as indicated by the TexCo-Log-Inc cooperation history Figure 5.4 illustrates this sequence Dependence extensionphase Dependence buildup-phase Conflict episode Figure 5.4: Sequences of dependence buildup, dependence extension, and conflict 5.5.2 Towards a model on driving forces of BSD development The presented phases of BSD suggest one potential development in dependence relations over time While these have depicted isolated phases so far, it is necessary to shed light on the transition between a single phase and its successive phase The influences that trigger the shift from one BSD development stage to the next provide insights to drivers 146 DEPENDENCE IN BUYER-SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS that influence dependence dynamics in general, while highlighting the sequence in which single components of the dependence construct foster development over time The dependence formation phase is characterized by an overall low dependence magnitude of an asymmetric relationship, which favors the supplier, and a rudimentary relational level Although minor in terms of intensity, the dependence between buyer and supplier has already formed This remains without further notice, as the challenging business environment demands the buyer’s attention, while the positive perception towards the supplier regarding necessary resources is reassuring Due to reasons of procedural and economic efficiency, an extension of the outsourcing relation mandates a focus on core activities (Razzaque & Sheng, 1998), as well as leads to a stabilization of dependence at a moderate level of intensity Meanwhile, all this appears in a symmetric fashion, as the supplier relies on the earnings from conducting activities for the buyer This is supported by an elaboration of the relational level as both a result and a precursor of increased relationship value and switching costs (Van Bruggen et al., 2005; Eggert et al., 2009) However, the increased dependence magnitude causes doubts regarding its vulnerability on the part of the buyer (Lee et al., 2015; Svensson, 2004), who appears to wake up and recognizes the situation that has developed Fearing potential dependence drawbacks, the buyer defends itself by creating alternative solutions to the incumbent supplier’s input (Emerson, 1962), with the aim of regaining control and flexibility over its operations This lowers the dependence magnitude again and threatens the supplier’s business In response, the supplier has to secure its exchange with the buyer On the one hand, this is carried out by lobbying the buyer and pointing out switching barriers (Pfeffer & Salancik, 2003), which have formed in the formation and stabilization phases On the other hand, there is an aim to regain control over the BSR whereby the buyer builds up trust regarding its offerings, which in turn strengthens the damaged relational level In the specific case of this paper, e.g., this is done in the form of introducing a transparent open-book accounting, which takes account of the buyer’s fear about paying too much to its supplier (Alenius et al., 2015) This assurance and rebuilding of relationalism provide an opportunity to realign the BSR for the now dependence-aware buyer The realignment phase thus results, once again, in the strengthening of the relationship value and switching costs by putting both partners back at eye level Regaining a symmetric relation prepares the ground for a more successful interaction (Chicksand, 2015) Both partners are now aware of their dependence relation, which, by definition, involves the lack of better alternatives compared to the existing relation This shifts the understanding of buyer and supplier towards BSD as a way of achieving competitive advantages by mutually complementing and integrating activities of the two focused and specialized parties Once this perception has changed, both partners strive for leveraging their dependence with an increased intention to cooperate in the future (Andaleeb, 1995) 147 TOBIAS MANDT Based on this five-phase development model driving forces can be detected, which expedite the dependence development from phase to phase Thus, the environment, mutual interaction, simultaneous realization and resistance towards the situation, the appeasement and assurance between the partners, and the balanced integration trigger the transitions towards subsequent dependence phases (see Figure 5.5) More specifically, the environment is a driving force, as the pace of development demands the full attention and resource efforts of the buyer The mutual interaction describes the combined necessary and reciprocal actions that have to be taken in order to quickly manage the changing situation from an operational perspective Realization describes the sudden understanding of the as-yet evolved situation by the buying firm, whereas resistance describes the subsequent reaction of the cumulative measures taken in order to overcome this particular dependence situation Furthermore, appeasement and assurance describe the mutual collective measures of buyer and supplier, which are taken to calm down the situation and allow the parties to jointly look ahead The result of this reaction is balanced integration, which describes the consistent use of the dependence relation as a basis for future development by mutually creating efficiencies 5.6 Discussion This study aimed to uncover the development of dependence in a BSR over time By examining a logistics service relationship in the textile retailing industry, it has been possible to create a phase model for dependence development Thus, it is proposed that dependence can develop during the formation and stabilization phase, followed by the wakeup and defense phase, before experiencing a realignment and leverage phase Moreover, this study revealed the driving forces that trigger the phase transitions Hence, the environment and mutual interaction, the realization and resistance of one partner, appeasement and assurance initiatives, and balanced integration drive development in this context Comparing these results with those in the extant literature leads to the following conclusions: First, the linear development of dependence, as indicated in the extant literature (see 5.2.2.), differs from the derived phase model Although increasing dependence exists in the formation and stabilization phase, the dependence magnitude decreases in the wake-up and defense phase, before increasing once again in the realignment phase This nonlinear dependence progression is reasonable, given that the extant literature, e.g., points to conflicts resulting from diverging dependence perceptions between buyer and supplier (Zhou et al., 2007) In turn, it is recommended to counteract dependence as soon as it is perceived (Casciaro & Piskorski, 2005) Hence, the phase model could serve as a basis for further discussions on dependence pathways in future research 148 Dependence Magnitude DEPENDENCE IN BUYER-SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS Balanced integration Environment & interaction Stabilized BSD Basic BSD Formation Stabilization Realization & resistance Opposed BSD Wake-up & defense Powerful BSD Adjusted BSD Appeasement & assurance Realignmentt Leverage Asymmetry Symmetry Figure 5.5: Driving forces that trigger dependence phases Second, the increase in dependence during the five phases can be differentiated in more detail While prior studies point to a general dependence increase (Dwyer et al., 1987; Terawatanavong et al., 2007), this study differentiates between specific increases within the dependence construct Thus, the BSR in question indicates that switching cost dependence rises first, while relationship value dependence contributes to an increase in dependence at an even higher level Furthermore, the case study in this thesis points to the requirements of an elaborated relational dimension, which must be satisfied in order to enter the higher level of dependence magnitude While switching cost dependence is on a mostly constant level, the high magnitude of dependence is only reached with the joint manifestation of a developed relational dimension This is in line with extant findings on e.g., relationalism (e.g., Simpson & Paul, 1994), trust (e.g., Izquierdo & Cillán, 2004; Laaksonen et al., 2008), and norms or long-term orientation (Petersen et al., 2008; Provan & Gassenheimer, 1994) as drivers of dependence intensity Among these, Table 5.4 highlights that a specific form of competence trust acts as a ‘door opener’ for the relationalism dimension to evolve At the start of the relationship, as well as after the wake-up phase, competence trust is initially present, before the relational dimension develops further to finally impact the dependence magnitude, which is in turn increased by an enhanced relationship value 149 TOBIAS MANDT Third, shifts in dependence symmetry and asymmetry have been observed, which can be interpreted as both the result and the driver of action and reaction over time, since each actor tries to balance out asymmetric dependencies These competitive moves, consisting of one action-reaction sequence over time, increases the dependence level between buyer and supplier and resembles a spiraling effect Fourth, the phase model can alternatively be seen as the reiteration of formation and stabilization patterns at different intensity levels, separated by conflicting episodes Thus, TexCo and Log-Inc experienced two phases (formation and realignment) in which dependence was built up (again), followed by two phases (stabilization and leverage) in which the dependence subsequently increased Taken together, these two metaphases of dependence adjustment and extension appear twice, along with a conflicting episode as a separating element This three-step circular interplay also makes clear that the dynamics in dependence not equate to the stage of the entire BSR on its development path, as this interplay can be active in early relationship stages (formation and stabilization), as well as in late relationship stages (realignment and leverage), thus being detached from the overall BSR evolution Fifth, the suggested dependence drivers in Chapter 5.2 contribute to this field of study by integrating drivers of dependence, which have so far been examined in isolation While interaction has been introduced as a dependence driver (Barnes et al., 2005), resistance has been recommended for counteracting dependence (Emerson, 1962; Pfeffer & Salancik, 2003) Besides, connections with appeasement can be found in discussions on commitment (Huo et al., 2015), whereas references to assurance can be found with regard to the buildup of relational norms (Joshi & Arnold, 1998) The aforementioned studies have also advocated putting a dependent BSR back on track Lastly, there is support in the literature for the balanced integration driver in terms of the effect of cooperative behavior (Kim & Wemmerlöv, 2015; Razzaque & Boon, 2003) and integration (Pennings et al., 1984; Vijayasarathy, 2010; Zhang & Huo, 2013) on dependence situations Sixth, this study adds to the extant literature by proposing that thriving market conditions in the environment of a buyer support BSD Such conditions require the buyer’s full attention and resource efforts, while the supplier can provide productive support by taking over necessary tasks Finally, this study emphasizes the noteworthy and decisive role of boundary-spanning managers in dependence relationships The present case thus indicates their potential to both draw down and move up dependencies either to a negative or to a positive state This also points to a hierarchy within the introduced dependence components (Chapter 5.2.1), in which switching costs and competence trust building are at the basic level On top of that, relationalism, as pursued by boundary spanners, moves BSD to a higher level In the 150 DEPENDENCE IN BUYER-SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS case of conflict, BSD falls back to the basic level, which consists of switching cost dependence These insights could provide starting points for future research on prevailing mechanisms within and hierarchies among the single components of BSD This paper also proposes a nonlinear perspective regarding dependence developments consisting of ever-repeating intervals that drive a relationship (Ring & Van De Ven, 1994) Similarly, the wakeup and defense phase is an interesting turning point in this case, which could inspire future exploration of management conflicts under dependence conditions An examination of boundary spanner roles, whether played by individuals or cross-company teams, in shaping dependences would be especially productive However, this study does not come without limitations, which are specifically relevant, as the present paper should be considered as a working paper In particular, this study is limited in its examination of a single case, which prevents any claims to generalization Nevertheless, the observed processes justify the discussion of the depicted development by their very existence Furthermore, this study is limited by its specific context The fastchanging textile market serves as an ideal case setting for this paper’s research question However, it may be worthwhile carrying out a similar study in a contrasting environment In particular, BSRs that inherently carry potential for lasting long time, such as productservice based exchange relations (Ulaga & Reinartz, 2011), provide an ideal context to examine dependence developments over time due to their enhanced degree of partner interconnections Finally, the ongoing BSR between TexCo and Log-Inc limits this study, which in turn justifies the work-in-progress status of this paper Future developments could incur further dependence shifts or level out the depicted episodes in this paper in the long run 5.7 Conclusion Dependence has a key role to play in examining BSRs (Ford, 1980; Jap & Ganesan, 2000) Dependence is also considered to vary across the relationship life cycle in its intensity (Terawatanavong et al., 2007) Although BSRs have been considered as evolving over time (Dwyer et al., 1987; Ford, 1980; Wilson, 1995), the interconnected dependence construct has not been examined in terms of its development in great detail The current study has addressed this gap in the literature by investigating the logistics service relationship between a textile firm and its LSP across their shared life span of 17 years By employing a qualitative process approach to the collected primary and secondary data, six relational milestones have been identified These milestones have been examined according to their dependence characteristics along the dimensions of dependence magnitude, dependence symmetry and relationalism The distinct manifestations of dependence at the temporary 151 TOBIAS MANDT intersections resulted in the five development phases of dependence formation, stabilization, wake-up and defense, and realignment and leverage Moreover, this paper aimed to determine the driving forces that foster transition in the course of the respective phases Factors in the BSR’s environment and interaction, one firm’s realization and resistance, as well as mutual appeasement, assurance, and balanced integration were identified as triggers of dynamic dependence development These findings have implications for scholars in the respective field In particular, the presentation of a nonlinear dependence evolution, in combination with insights into the mutual influences and characteristics of single components at a detailed level, within the dependence construct points to directions for future research to follow In addition, scholars ought to focus on the turning point in the wake-up and defense phase, as well as on the role of boundary spanners in shaping dependence developments These findings on BSD, however, are not without limitations Most prominently, the work-in-progress status, single-case approach and specific nature of the empirical context have to be considered Finally, managerial practitioners could benefit from this study by paying attention to Log-Inc.’s customer management approach towards employing continuous personnel at the company boundary This enabled Log-Inc to maintain a minimum trust level and ensure an informational head start with regard to the regularly changing TexCo personnel, which laid the foundations for subsequent dependence development Moreover, practitioners may want to learn from the wake-up and defense phase and pay attention to the level of dependence in their own BSRs in turbulent times, given that handing over critical resources can lead to weaker situations involving the exchange partner in the future Lastly, BSR managers should understand that dependence can be positive for the involved actors, given that dependence carries both relationship value and switching cost elements in a symmetrically distributed manner, based on a well-elaborated relational foundation between buyer and supplier 152 DEPENDENCE IN BUYER-SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS References Aminoff, A., & Tanskanen, K 2013 Exploration of congruence in perceptions of buyer-supplier attraction: A dyadic multiple case study Journal of 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Reading, Mass.: AddisonWesley Wilson, D T 1995 An integrated model of buyer-seller relationships Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 23(4): 335–345 Yeniyurt, S., Henke, J W., & Yalcinkaya, G 2013 A longitudinal analysis of supplier involvement in buyers’ new product development: working relations, inter-dependence, co-innovation, and performance outcomes Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 1–18 156 Conclusion & Outlook BSD is a prevailing topic for both academics and practitioners Its relevance is mirrored in the uninterrupted high number of publications in the last decades Besides, managers who are active in BSRs as a supplier or a buyer report on the actuality and meaning of this issue in their daily activities This thesis set out to contribute to extant research in the field by questioning, based on extant knowledge, which factors and mechanisms lead to BSD and how can characteristic dependence situations be handled best over time Hence, it first strived for putting the so far disorganized literature streams in relation with each other Chapter thus contributes by providing a first systematic review of the literature base, presenting the status quo of the field, which consists of dependence sources, forms, effect, mediating influences, perceptions, and management measures Secondly, it aimed to detect hidden mechanisms leading to dependence and lock-in situation in BSRs which could be empirically identified by the interaction of the driving forces convicing, tying, and complementing in chapter Chapter also contributes to BSD research by employing a qualitative research approach to address the why’s and how’s (Yin, 2009) in dependence relationships in an underrepresented methodological fashion Third, the thesis approached the contrasting strategic recommendations on coping with BSD by Chapter which presented a conceptual allocation of the four groups of exit, expand, balance, and secure strategies to the specifically derived situations of systemic-, monopolistic-, symbiotic-, governmental-, emotional-, providing-, friendly-, as well as commodity-dependence Thereby it answers research calls for grounding its arguments on both the relational view and resource-dependence theory (van Weele & van Raaij, 2014) Finally, the thesis suggests a phase-model of BSD development over time to contrast the so far static examinations of the construct Based on an empirical observation, Chapter proposes dependence to develop from a formation and stabilization phase, before experiencing a wake-up and defense phase, the realignment, and eventually the leverage phase These insights imply starting points for future research Thus, BSD scholars would benefit from a behavioral perspective Chapter highlights that the perceptions on BSD influence the behavior of the involved firms and whether it is seen as a burden or a potential competitive advantage While first attempts have been done (Gassenheimer, Davis, & Dahlstrom, 1998; Kumar, Scheer, & Steenkamp, 1995; Munksgaard, 2010) this focus area is underrepresented despite its importance for managing dependence relations This also links to the promising exploration of the role of boundary-spanning employees in dependence relationships As Chapter points out, the role of the directly interacting boundary managers and their impact on dependent BSRs as well as their impact in mutually shaping the development of BSD appears to be an interesting area of investigation Lastly, recent © Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH, part of Springer Nature 2018 T Mandt, Dependence in Buyer-Supplier Relationships, Edition KWV, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-24252-7_6 TOBIAS MANDT strategic shifts towards servitization by manufacturers that move away from a pure production focus towards an integrated product-service offering (Ulaga & Reinartz, 2011) provide an interesting area for investigating dependence relationships, as the combination of tangible and intangible resource inputs bears potential for long-term dependencies in BSRs Although these four studies might fill important literature gaps, the thesis comes along with limitations that have to be considered Regarding the theoretical embedding, the focus on dependence in vertical, dyadic relationships prevents this study from investigating the also relevant and interesting appearance of dependence in e.g triadic settings These gain in importance in managerial practice and present a recommended avenue for future research (Choi & Wu, 2009), for which the insights of this thesis’ might serve as a starting point Thus, scholars might investigate the validity of the conceptual model on dependence emergence (Chapter 3) in a triad Besides, it would be interesting to study dependence in horizontal relationships to challenge the insights of this thesis in a distinct relational context Moreover, the empirical models on dependence emergence (Chapter 3) and dependence development (Chapter 5) focus on third-party logistics relationships in two distinct industrial contexts Consequently, it might be worth investigating different relationships, such as retail partnerships, or component manufacturing in the future, as these exchanges gain in practical importance recently Finally, while chapter and chapter make use of single-case studies, enlarging the empirical basis by adding further cases or by statistically testing single influences and mechanisms on a larger scale can validate or adapt the findings Similarly, a taxonomical investigation might shed light on the occurrence of Chapter four’s conceptual dependence forms and their specific configurations in practice Finally, this thesis carries implications for managerial practice First, the final overview of the BSD research landscape as result of Chapter serves as an information base to practitioners on the important influences and potential effects of BSD, which should increase their awareness towards this relevant issue Second, the thesis emphasizes the importance of maintaining both the necessary skills and knowledge as well as a minimum equipment of necessary resources when outsourcing, purchasing, or distributing goods or services via a partner firm This limits the probability of entering intense dependence relations and also ensures negotiations on eye-level in long-term cooperations (see Chapter 3) The other way around, the knowledge on dependence emergence provides recommendations on buyers and suppliers on how to strategically shape BSRs, in order to aim at the partner’s dependence to ensure long-term exchange relations Third, it is argued that BSD is not inherently good or bad as proclaimed by some existing studies Chapter points to specific situations of dependence that might help practitioners in raising awareness for the multifaceted nature of BSD and it further provides an elaboration of dependence components that might be useful for a self-assessment of individual supply relationships The suggested strategy recommendations can support managerial decisions accordingly 158 DEPENDENCE IN BUYER-SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS Lastly, practitioners can be referred to chapter which highlights the importance of individual actors at the intersection between buyer and supplier In order to avoid the frequently mentioned negative effects of dependence, such as opportunism (Joshi & Arnold, 1998) or vulnerability (Lee, Mun, & Park, 2015), and to realize the dependence advantages, such as a positive financial impact (Kim & Wemmerlöv, 2015), more effective governance (Gulati & Sytch, 2007), or efficiently integrated processes (Pennings, Hambrick, & MacMillan, 1984), it is essential to install a well-paired and well-functioning boundary-spanning management team across both the buying and supplying firm 159 TOBIAS MANDT References Choi, T Y., & Wu, Z 2009 Triads in Supply Networks: Theorizing Buyer - Supplier - Supplier Relationships Journal of Supply Chain Management, 45(1): 8–25 Gassenheimer, J B., Davis, J C., 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Fertigstellung meiner Doktorarbeit von den ersten Schritten bis hin zum Zielsprint verdanke Und so endet meine Promotion zwar mit einem intensiven Sprint, ähnelt in ihrer Rückschau aber in vielerlei Hinsicht... either jointly investing in assets that are of specific value to the interacting organizations, or by combining complementary skills, resources or knowledge on a routinized basis, the RV points to... & Reve, 1980) Studying dependence within IORs especially makes sense in BSRs, as the likelihood for partner dependence in a dyadic setting is higher than in a context involving multiple partners