Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test a research model in which trust and commitment are mediators between economic and non-economic satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – The sample for this study comprises a total of 600 small and medium-sized Spanish enterprises from various industrial sectors. A total of 259 usable questionnaires were returned, generating a response rate of 43.2 per cent. The research model is tested with structural equation modeling using AMOS-software. Findings – The empirical findings regarding the studied business relationships confirm the independence between economic and non-economic satisfaction, and the mediating role of trust and commitment. Furthermore, the findings confirm that there is no direct cause–effect relationship between economic and non-economic satisfaction. Research limitations/implications – Numerous inter-organizational studies have tested satisfaction as two separate constructs (economic and non-economic satisfaction). This study goes further by positioning economic satisfaction as a precursor to other more relationship-oriented constructs and outcomes (trust–commitment and, in turn, non-economic or relational satisfaction). Practical implications – Managers should consider economic and non-economic satisfaction as two separate aspects of relationship quality in business relationships. Furthermore, although these aspects appear to be connected, managers should take them into consideration with respect to the levels of trust and commitment involved in business relationships. Managers should be aware that the level of economic satisfaction is an influential precursor to the levels of trust and commitment that in turn impact on the level of non-economic satisfaction as an outcome. Originality/value – This study makes a threefold contribution to existing theory and research. First, it tests the constructs of economic and non-economic satisfaction, indicating satisfactory validity and reliability. Second, it provides empirical support that there is no direct relationship between economic and non-economic satisfaction. Third, the empirical findings also indicate satisfactory validity and reliability, indicating that the constructs of trust and commitment are moderators between economic and non-economic satisfaction.

Although there is considerable research examining the effects of influence strategies on relational outcomes, research has been silent on the effectiveness of influence strategies in achieving the primary objective: channel member compliance. The authors develop a theoretical model that predicts that noncoercive influence strategies (Rationality, Recommendations, Information Exchange, and Requests) with an argument structure that contains more thorough content result in relatively greater levels of compliance. The model further predicts that coercive influence strategies (Promises and Threats) result in compliance only when target dependence levels are high. The authors develop a new influence strategy, Rationality, which represents a noncoercive strategy with a full argument structure. In general, empirical findings support the theoretical model. However, in contrast to expectations, the use of Recommendations had a negative effect on compliance. Post hoc analysis revealed a significant interaction between trust and Recommendations on compliance, thus providing an explanation for this unexpected result. When trust is low, Recommendation strategies are counterproductive. The authors discuss implications of the findings and directions for further research.

Supply Chain ContagionDrawing on research from the interfirm relationship, marketing channels, operations management, and network theory literature and on the basis of qualitative depth interviews, the authors identify a new phenomenon they call "supply chain contagion." Supply chain contagion is the propagation of interfirm behaviors from one dyadic relationship to an adjacent dyadic relationship within the supply chain. Contagion can occur inadvertently and with or without the knowledge of the affected parties. Using institutional theory, the authors develop a conceptual model that predicts the conditions under which contagion is likely to occur. Although contagion may take the form of any number of interfirm behaviors, operationally, the authors focus on whether the downstream influence strategies that manufacturers use with their dealers are imitated by these same dealers with end customers. They conduct conclusive research using a sample of 151 vertically linked manufacturer-dealer-customer supply chain triads and explain a large variance (R 2 = .30) in the use of downstream influence strategies in terms of supply chain contagion. Given extensive prior empirical support for alternative antecedents to influence strategy usage, the explanatory power of supply chain contagion is impressive and suggests that how intermediaries treat end customers is explained, to a large degree, as the intermediaries simply imitating how their suppliers treated them. In addition to the identification of a new theoretical concept, the study provides empirical support for the effects of both macroand microinstitutional factors on interfirm behavior. Specific factors that are positively related to the level of manifest contagion are environmental uncertainty and the perceived similarity and frequency of contact between boundary personnel; dependence asymmetry has a negative effect on manifest contagion. Managers and boundary-spanning personnel who are aware of supply chain contagion effects should be better able to influence strategically the behavior of channel partners and may be better inoculated against their own unintended imitation of other organizations within their supply chain. for their help. They are also grateful to the anonymous JM reviewers for their helpful guidance and insights. This article was published while the first author was on sabbatical leave and a visiting professor at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea.

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