سازگاری متقابل در روابط خریدار تامین کننده

In buyer–supplier relationships, effective partnerships require mutual adaptation to execute strategies effectively. Using LISREL, we test a model of relational exchange factors that includes dependence, joint action and trust and their influence on the mutual adaptation of supplier and buyer firms in the U.S. automotive industry. The results of the study indicate that both economic and social dimensions of the relationship impact mutual adaptation, but that these two are not necessarily complementary. Specifically, supplier adaptation is negatively impacted by trust between supplier and buyer, but positively impacted by dependence and joint action. Buyer adaptation, on the other hand, is positively impacted by trust between the two, joint action and the adaptation undertaken by the supplier. The negative relationship between trust and supplier adaptation may be symptomatic of deeper issues in the U.S. automotive industry that should merit concern.

Over the last several years, there has been a growing interest in inter-organizational relations both in research and practice. In today's highly competitive environment, there is intense pressure to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of manufacturing and procurement activities. When faced with revenue and cost concerns that are compounded by shortening product life cycles, changes in process and product technology, and evolving business practices, firms are looking for new ways to address business problems (Cannon and Perreault, 1999). Managers and researchers, in the interest of determining how to develop more effective inter-firm relationships, in the interest of determining how to develop more effective inter-firm relationships have enlarged the focus from formal contracts to more behavioral and relational approaches. Managers believe that these latter approaches can create more flexible, responsive partnerships thereby improving a firm's performance. While we know that inter-firm relationships are undergoing change, researchers are studying in more detail their components, structure, and context. One primary issue of interest concerns the mutual adaptation that takes place between buyer–suppler firms as they develop more effective relationships. Mutual adaptation is defined as the mutual investment by two or more organizations to adapt to specific organizational needs by modifying products and production to suit the requirements of the other (Hallen et al., 1991). It is expected that mutual adaptation would allow each to better fit together and improve the performance of both (Hagberg-Andersson, 2006). Buyer–supplier relationships are a particular form of alliance, which include both formal and social governance elements. In relationships where there is mutual adaptation, these firms typically develop close, frequently lasting relationships. They are somewhat different from other partnerships because they involve a vertical dynamic in which a supplier relies economically upon its buyer and is motivated toward maintaining a satisfactory relationship. These relationships include elements of economic power as well as social elements such as trust and commitment. We expect that supplier firms who depend significantly on buyers are likely to be influenced to adapt. Buyer adaptation may also take place in inter-firm relationships, but the element of economic dependency as a driver is absent. It is this issue within the broader context of mutual adaptation that our study investigates. We ask: under what conditions would adaptation take place by suppliers and buyers in order to suit the needs and capabilities of its partner? While aspects of supplier adaptation have been studied, there is limited research in understanding buyer adaptation. We examine the influence of social elements in relation to economic dependence on mutual adaptation to test whether these are substitutes or complements in the confines of the relationship.