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Dependence and interdependence in marketing relationships: meta-analytic insights

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Abstract

The authors conduct a meta-analysis to examine dependence and interdependence in marketing relationships. Analyses reveal that dependence affects performance primarily through relationship quality and cooperation, while interdependence has substantial direct effects as well as effects mediated through relationship-specific investments and cooperation. Regarding relationship context, effects of dependence are stronger in channel relationships than end-user relationships and for services than goods; interdependence does not display the same pattern. Regarding methodological context, dependence measures that emphasize relationship value versus switching costs have different moderating effects; greater general dependence content is associated with weaker effect sizes for dependence but conversely greater effect sizes for interdependence. These results suggest that new insights can be gained by distinguishing relationship value and switching cost components of dependence and by investigating the possibility that the conceptual domain of interdependence differs from that of dependence. Future research that strives for greater precision in the measurement of dependence and interdependence constructs and that simultaneously examines dependence and interdependence is recommended.

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Notes

  1. Following Kumar et al. (1995a), we use the term “interdependence structure” to refer collectively to interdependence magnitude, interdependence asymmetry, own dependence, and partner dependence.

  2. Only a handful of studies include both dependence and interdependence (e.g., Kim 2002; Van Bruggen et al. 2005) but they do not examine both simultaneously in a causal model.

  3. We revise the Scheer et al. (2010) terminology to emphasize the temporal and conceptual differences between the dependence components. Relationship value dependence (benefit-based dependence) is based in the value received from the current relationship that cannot be replaced via available alternatives. Switching cost dependence (cost-based dependence) is rooted in latent costs that are anticipated to be realized when the relation ends and the firm must transition to its next best alternative.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business, University of Missouri, 428 Cornell Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Lisa K. Scheer

  2. 230 School of Business, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT, 06515, USA

    C. Fred Miao

  3. Foster School of Business, University of Washington, Paccar Hall 418, Seattle, WA, 98195-3200, USA

    Robert W. Palmatier

Authors
  1. Lisa K. Scheer
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  2. C. Fred Miao
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  3. Robert W. Palmatier
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Correspondence to Lisa K. Scheer.

Appendices

Appendix A

Table 7 Sample statistics
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Appendix B

Table 8 Examples of dependence measure content coding
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Scheer, L.K., Miao, C.F. & Palmatier, R.W. Dependence and interdependence in marketing relationships: meta-analytic insights. J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci. 43, 694–712 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0418-1

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