Establishing closer social ties between buying and supplying organizations is increasinglycited as a critical differentiator of high and low performers in global supply chains. While thecreation of relational capital within an organization is a relatively-well identified concept inorganizational research, comparatively little research exists on the interorganizationalsocialization processes that create relational value in supply chains. In our research, we extendtheoretical models of group social conduits into this context, and develop a model that positsthe impact of formal and informal socialization processes on the creation of relational capitalbetween buyers and suppliers. Results from our study of 111 manufacturing organizations inthe United Kingdom suggest that informal socialization processes are important in the creationof relational capital, which in turn can lead to improved supplier relationship outcomes.Formal bridging socialization conduits appear to play a lesser role in deriving these benefits.
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