Relationship Marketing and Contract Theory

Publication Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2004

Abstract

The theoretical foundation of contracts and their limitations in governing exchange between firms is a current area of research in economics and business. The relationship marketing approach in business-to-business markets focuses on aspects in interfirm exchange that contracts cannot deal with efficiently. However, the ability to use contractual forms of governance where possible is crucial to the enhanced scope of relationship marketing management. We argue that contracts and relationships are complementary and that contracts provide an evolving governance structure for relationships. We examine the evolution of interfirm exchange theories in this framework and illustrate the convergence between contract theory and relationship marketing management, with examples from procurement in the supply chain, capacity reservation contracts, and program management.

Keywords

Relationship marketing, Contracts, Procurement, Program management

Discipline

Marketing

Research Areas

Marketing

Publication

Industrial Marketing Management

Volume

33

Issue

6

First Page

513

Last Page

526

ISSN

0019-8501

Identifier

10.1016/j.indmarman.2004.03.004

Publisher

Elsevier

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