Contractual Governance Mechanism And Channel Opportunism:the Role Of Relationship Marketing Orientation

Since the1980s, relationship marketing has been the focus of marketing scholars research, it has formed the theoretical system so far. In the early90s, some scholars proposed to link theory of relationship marketing orientation and channel management, think processing channel relationship need to set up the relationship marketing orientation. Over the past20years, the academic study of relationship marketing has a rich theoretical achievement, but combines the theory of relationship marketing orientation and channel governance research is relatively weak, the relationship marketing orientation of the channel member will affect the choice of channel governance mechanism, set up the relationship marketing orientation, the organization’s strategic orientation will influence the channel opportunism, which create channel conflict, harmonious and stable? The current academic circles did not give a definite answer. At the same time, whether the theoretical achievements of western will adapt the China’s special social and cultural background, the problems still need to be further empirical test.Based on the theory of relationship marketing and channel behavior theory, we build a conceptual model of relationship marketing orientation, contractual governance mechanism and channel opportunism behaviors in marketing channels. Based on the analysis of278samples from the manufacturers, we examine the model empirically. The results show that:In the Chinese marketing channels, firm’s relationship marketing orientation has positive effects on the contractual governance mechanism; the contractual governance mechanism has negative effect on the channel partners’ opportunism behaviors; the relationship marketing orientation can significantly inhibit the channel partner’s opportunism. The conclusions are discussed and the future research directions are pointed out.The contribution of this paper are the following:first of all, this study introduced the relationship marketing orientation to channel governance theory research, the relationship marketing orientation as contract governance mechanism of the antecedent research, enrich the theory of channel management. Second, exploring the relationship between relationship marketing orientation and the channel opportunism, providing a new angle of view for channel governance, broadening the research scope of governance mechanism further. Finally, under the background of Chinese social culture has tested the contractual governance mechanisms influence on channel speculation, this problem to test the applicability of western theory in China has made the beneficial exploration.According to the empirical research conclusion in the end, this article puts forward the corresponding management advice, to help the management of the enterprise work, at the same time points out the shortage and limitation of this study and the future theoretical research direction.