Buyer-supplier collaboration, adaptation, trust, commitment and relationship continuity of selected private manufacturing firms in Kampala

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between buyer-supplier collaboration and relationship continuity of private manufacturing firms in Kampala.

A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted using a sample of 260 private manufacturing firms from a population of 877. Data collection was conducted using self administered questionnaires to get data from the respondents. Overall, 257 usable questionnaires representing 98.85% respondent rate was attained. Factor, Correlation and regression analyses were used in data analysis.

The results indicated a significant positive relationship between buyer-supplier collaboration and relationship continuity. Results also indicated that adaptation, trust and commitment are significant predictors of relationship continuity and collaboration also positively predicts adaptation, trust and commitment. Finally, a number of recommendations are provided. It‟s highly recommended that special attention should be paid to examining the antecedents of instrumental, affective and normative commitment because trust, as one of the most important relationship factors in buyer-supplier collaboration, apparently does not play a major role in relationship continuity. Commitment has been found to create positive and strong effects on customers‟ intentions to continue the relationship. Therefore managers of private manufacturing supplier/buyer firms should keep this in mind when crafting their firms‟ approach to relationship continuity.