“…As the core of relational exchange theory, relational norms make up for the shortcomings (lack of flexibility and incompleteness) of contracts (Rai, Keil, Hornyak, & Wüllenweber, ) to facilitate smooth progress of the transaction (Cavusgil, Deligonul, & Zhang, ). Relational norms are common expectations for the behavior of all parties in an interorganizational relationship (Cannon, Achrol, & Gundlach, ; Ramirez‐Fernandez, Ramirez‐Marin, & Munduate, ); they are unwritten behavior rules of mutual recognition and restraint to the end of guiding relational behavior of the parties for the common good (Liu, Li, & Zhang, ; Tangpong, Hung, & Ro, ). However, it is unlikely that relational behavior of the parties will always conform to relational norms throughout a transaction (Jap & Ganesan, ).…”