The Ties that Bind: How Cooperative Norms and Readiness to Change Shape the Role of Established Relationships in B-to-B E-Commerce

Mainstream research indicates that close, long-term ties with business customers have beneficial effects; however, an alternative stream advances the possibility of a “dark side” of close relations, especially when the original conditions of the relationships change. This empirical study investigates how established buyer–seller relationships respond to significant changes in their exchange context by considering the value of close ties in the presence of an e-commerce strategy, which generally represents a radical shift. By exploring both the direct effects of close, long-term ties on e-commerce success and the moderating effects of two key contingency factors (partners’ readiness and cooperative norms), this study reveals that the mere presence of strong, long-term customer relationships cannot guarantee performance improvements or enhance e-commerce potential. Instead, the two contingency factors modify the role of established relationships, making them as either points of strength or weakness in presence of a change. These findings suggest important theoretical and managerial insights