Trust and Relationship Commitment in Logistics Alliances: A Buyer Perspective

IN BRIEF This research provides new insights into logistics alliances by examining the roles of trust and commitment in such relationships. A model of logistics alliances from a buying firm's perspective is proposed and empirically tested using a sample of 339 firms with various types of logistics alliances. The results indicate that both trust and relationship commitment are important elements in logistics alliances. A third party's equity behavior appears to be an important factor affecting the development of trust in a relationship while conflict significantly hinders the development of relationship commitment. The results also indicate that relationship commitment and effectiveness are influenced more by negative outcomes associated with conflict than by positive outcomes associated with trust.