›› 2015, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (7): 116-126.

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IT Capability, Relational Governance Behaviors and Channel Satisfaction: The Contingent Impact of Dealer's Opportunism Atmosphere

Zhang Tao1, Zhuang Guijun2   

  1. 1. School of Business, Xi'an University of Finance and Economics, Xi'an 710100;
    2. School of Management, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049
  • Received:2013-08-09 Published:2015-07-31

Abstract:

Based on the relational governance studies in marketing channel and institutional theory, this study investigates the different impact of IT capabilities on the two relational governance behaviors and on the channel satisfaction in different context of distributor opportunism. With 192 data collected from manufacturers, four conclusions are drawn. First, in the context of high opportunism, IT personnel support is more important than IT hardware when improving the efficiency of relational governance behavior (joint-planning and joint-problem-solving). Second, in the context of high opportunism, joint-planning improve channel satisfaction more significantly than that of joint-problem-solving. Third, in the context of low opportunism, IT hardware is more important than IT personnel support when improving joint-problem-solving. Fourth, in context of low opportunism, joint-problem-solving improve channel satisfaction more significantly than that of joint-planning. Finally, managerial suggestion on how to improve the efficiency of relational governance behavior and channel satisfaction is given according to the conclusions.

Key words: information technology, relational governance, channel satisfaction, opportunism