본 연구에서는 기업간 거래 관계의 품질과 강도를 결정함에 있어서 제공조건이 중요한지, 아니면 상대하는 사람이 중요한지 혹은 관계적 특징이 중요한지 여부를 검토하고자 하였다. 이를 위해 주요 선행 특성요인을 제공특성(제공조건), 대인적 특성(상대업체 경영자의 유사성, 전문성), 관계 특성(관계기간, 협력, 의존성)으로 분류하고, 이들 특성이 관계품질과 강도에 어떤 영향을 미치는지를 로칼수출업체-섬유염색나염업체 거래관계 상황에서 실증적으로 분석하였다. 실증분석 결과, 관계기간을 제외한 모든 특성변수는 관계품질 변수(신뢰와 몰입)에 대해 직접적인 영향을 줄 뿐 아니라 관계강도에 대해서도 간접적인 영향을 주고 있음을 확인할 수 있었다. 특히 상대업체 경영자로부터 인식하는 유사성은 관계품질 형성에 강력한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 그리고 기업간 의존성은 관계품질이나 관계강도에 대해 유의한 영향을 미치고 있어 기업간 거래에서 자원의존이 중요한 역할을 하고 있음을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한 관계강도에 대해서는 관계품질과 같은 정서적 판단이 유의하게 작용하며, 특히 신뢰변수는 제공특성과 같은 수단적․경제적인 변수에 비해 훨씬 강력한 영향을 미치고 있음을 발견하였다.

This paper explores major factors that drive relationship quality and strength in business-to- business transactions. Three major factors, including offering characteristics, managers' interpersonal factors (similarity, expertise), and relational factors (relationship length, cooperation, and dependence), were proposed to affect relationship quality, and indirectly affect relationship strength. In addition, both economic/instrumental dimension (offering characteristics) and affective, relational dimensions (trust and commitment) are also expected to influence relationship strength. In the empirical study which used the textile-dyeing company managers' ratings of local exporters, structural equation modeling presented a well-fit evidence that relationship quality variables and strength are influenced by their proposed antecedents. Specifically, it was found that all characteristics (except relationship length) have direct effect on their relationship quality with local exporters, and indirectly impact on relationship strength which was measured along dimensions of intention to continue the business relationship in the future and the current share of business given to a local exporter. Together with the minor influence that instrumental dimension (offering characteristics) has on relationship strength, this study suggests that the willingness to remain in business relationship or current proportion of business shared is influenced more by affective assessment like relationship quality than by calculative motivation.

This paper explores major factors that drive relationship quality and strength in business-to- business transactions. Three major factors, including offering characteristics, managers' interpersonal factors (similarity, expertise), and relational factors (relationship length, cooperation, and dependence), were proposed to affect relationship quality, and indirectly affect relationship strength. In addition, both economic/instrumental dimension (offering characteristics) and affective, relational dimensions (trust and commitment) are also expected to influence relationship strength. In the empirical study which used the textile-dyeing company managers' ratings of local exporters, structural equation modeling presented a well-fit evidence that relationship quality variables and strength are influenced by their proposed antecedents. Specifically, it was found that all characteristics (except relationship length) have direct effect on their relationship quality with local exporters, and indirectly impact on relationship strength which was measured along dimensions of intention to continue the business relationship in the future and the current share of business given to a local exporter. Together with the minor influence that instrumental dimension (offering characteristics) has on relationship strength, this study suggests that the willingness to remain in business relationship or current proportion of business shared is influenced more by affective assessment like relationship quality than by calculative motivation.

Offering characteristics, Interpersonal factors, Relational factor, Relationship quality,Relationship strength