Power in Business Relationships: Dynamics, Strategies and Internationalisation

Description

Focusing on the issue of power as the main building block of relationships between business buyers and sellers, this book explains the complex nature of power with its multidimensional and multi-directional character. As a complex construct, inter-firm power is treated as a matter of perception as well as in terms of total and relative power. The book analyses extensively the issue of power asymmetry with its dynamics and its consequences for business-to-business (B2B) relationships, particularly analyzing the dynamic mechanism of power. Various theoretical domains or research streams regarding managing an asymmetrical business relationship by the weaker partner are also examined. Based on the studies of other scholars as well as on the authors' own research, this book shows how weaker suppliers or buyers deal with high-power partners in business relationships and the approaches of more powerful parties to asymmetrical relationship development. Additionally, the book presents the specific nature of power in international B2B relationships, including its connection to culture and conflict, as well as how to handle power in managing export performance within international B2B relationships. It is written for scholars and students who are interested in academic research concerning B2B marketing and B2B relationship marketing domains, specifically those who are interested in literature dealing with supply chain management, key account management, relationship portfolio management, distribution channel management and the network approach. Cover Half Title Series Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgements Introduction 1 Power as the cornerstone of business relationships 1.1 Multifaceted power as a key building block of business relationships 1.1.1 Introduction 1.1.2 Power and power sources in business relationships 1.1.3 Power as socially constructed phenomenon 1.1.4 Structural and behavioural power asymmetry 1.1.5 Summary 1.2 Power-related tactics in asymmetrical buyer-supplier relationships 1.2.1 Introduction 1.2.2 The risks posed to the weaker party by asymmetric power relations as a determinant of undertaking power-related tactics 1.2.3 Power-related tactics of weaker suppliers in asymmetrical relationships 1.2.4 Two-sided power-related tactics in buyer-supplier asymmetrical relationships 1.2.5 Summary 1.3 References 2 Relationship power dynamics as a focus of scientific research and an area for business practice implications 2.1 Advancing the study of power dynamics in business relationships: introducing a power dynamics canvas and narrative approach 2.1.1 Introduction 2.1.2 Conceptualising power dynamics in business relationships: a power dynamics canvas 2.1.3 Applying the narrative approach to the study of power dynamics in business relationships 2.1.4 Summary 2.2 Studying relationship power dynamics – example of buyer-supplier dyads in the manufacturing industry 2.2.1 Introduction 2.2.2 Multiple case study research method and research context 2.2.3 Research results 2.2.4 Summary 2.3 References 3 Power in international business relationships 3.1 The specific nature of power in international business relationships 3.1.1 Introduction 3.1.2 The role of power in international business relationships 3.1.3 Power in headquarters-subsidiary relationships 3.1.4 Summary 3.2 Culture and conflict as antecedents to power and their influence on export performance in international business relationships 3.2.1 Introduction 3.2.2 Culture and power in international business relationships 3.2.3 Conflict and power in international business relationships 3.2.4 Handling power for managing export performance in international business relationships 3.2.5 Summary 3.3 References Conclusions and implications Index