以平衡理論探討買賣關係之建立

買賣雙方如何建立關係一直是工業行銷被探討的議題，但過去的研究大多以對偶(dyad)的觀點，其隱含的假設是欲結盟的新夥伴是獨立的個體，事實上，每家廠商都有其各自鑲嵌的商業網路，故廠商與新夥伴建立關係時，必須考慮其他的利害關係人。平衡理論是探討三方結構(triad)最早的理論，而上下游之間的衝突是通路成員所最不願見到的事，如何避免與利害關係人發生衝突或是將衝突降至最低，是廠商與其夥伴建立新關係必須考慮到的因素，本研究以平衡理論來探討當第三方利害關係人加入時，廠商與新夥伴的關係是如何建立的，以及廠商是如何因應來自利害關係人的衝突。透過個案研究顯示，當第三關係(新夥伴與利害關係人)處於競爭時，廠商會支持新夥伴來對抗利害關係人，而形成「我喜歡你的情況下，我不喜歡你所不喜歡的」三方平衡狀態。由於衝突議題具爭議性、複雜性，廠商會採內隱策略來封閉資訊，降低可能的衝突成本。當第三關係處於合作時，廠商不擔心衝突，會採外顯策略，而形成「我喜歡你的情況下，我喜歡你所喜歡的」三方平衡狀態。

關鍵字

三方結構；平衡理論；買賣關係；塑木產業

並列摘要

The issue of buyer-seller relationship has been studied in industrial marketing. However, prior research mostly focused on a dyadic point of view, implicitly assuming that the new allied partners are in isolation. In fact, firms are embedded in their own networks. This study explores how buyer-seller relationships are established, and how they are affected by the stakeholders from the third parties. By using a single case study, the results of this study show that when the third link between a new partner and stakeholder(s) is in competition, the case firm will support the new partner against the stakeholder(s), thus forming a triadic balance of ‘As I like you, I will dislike what you dislike’. Since channel conflicts are mostly related to disputable and complex issues, the case firm will adopt covert strategies to close information in order to reduce possible conflict costs. Overt strategies are used to form a triadic balance of ‘As I like you, I will like what you like’. Implications of these ﬁndings are discussed and further studies are suggested based on the findings.