Individual and Firm Level Drivers of the Relationship Development Life Cycle

Buyer/Seller relationships evolve over time at two distinct levels, the firm level, from firm to mass audience, and the individual level, from salesperson to individual customer. This research examines the drivers of change in the Dwyer, Schurr and Oh (1987) relationship model by examining both firm-level and individual-level drivers. The research proposes that within the firm-level relationship building process, there are also individual-level factors that influence how rapidly relationships progress. We propose the drivers of relationship evolution vary as the relationship progresses, moving from the firm level to the individual level. This research contributes to the relationship marketing literature by proposing the drivers of relationship stage change and their impact at both the firm and individual level. Understanding the influence and interaction of the two relationship levels will allow managers to develop more targeted marketing strategies based on the relationship development stage