| The most recent trends and research clearly show that the industrial markets have undergone a significant change. Manufacturers and dealers alike have switched their orientation and are nowadays more focused on relational than transactional marketing. Because relational marketing is based on long-term relationships, trust and commitment among the partners plays an important role. I defined factors that affect trust and relationship commitment and have considered the outcomes of these factors. Moreover, I combined preceding research in this area and added a new mediating variable into a model: technological interface adoption between the dealer's trust and relationship commitment. At the same time, I concentrated on the dealer to show that the characteristics of the manufacturer, as well as the market environment, positively affect developing trust in the dealer. This study also measures the influence of the control variables and the precursors on the relationship commitment. Finally I developed new scales to assess the influence of technological interface adoption; these scales were grouped as operational benefits, financial benefits, relational benefits, and accessibility. These predictions were tested using data supplied by a Colombian tire producer and independent dealers in this country. Trust and commitment building is time-consuming, but the positive results of this relationship in the future override the effort undertaken for its development. |
