Article

Conflict in Business‐to‐Business e‐Commerce (B2B): A Study of B2B Relational Structure and Perceptions of Conflict, Power, and Relationship Success

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Abstract

This field study investigates how the relational structure of business‐to‐business (B2B) e‐commerce relationships affects perceptions of conflict, power, and success in e‐commerce relationships. Data from interviews with employees in 82 U.S. organizations reveal that employees in community‐oriented B2B structures perceive themselves as experiencing more process conflict than do employees in buyer/supplier‐oriented structures. Also, employees in community‐oriented B2B structures perceive more organizational power. Furthermore, the B2B e‐commerce relational structure was found to moderate the relationship between perceived organizational power and the number of reported conflict incidents. Specifically, in buyer/supplier structures, power differences were associated with low conflict and in community‐oriented structures power differences were associated with high levels of conflict.

Keywords: business‐to‐business e‐commerce, power, conflict

How to Cite:

Standifer, R. & Wall Jr., J., (2010) “Conflict in Business‐to‐Business e‐Commerce (B2B): A Study of B2B Relational Structure and Perceptions of Conflict, Power, and Relationship Success”, Negotiation and Conflict Management Research 3(3), 205-231. doi: https://doi.org/10.34891/zw4j-qa80