Buyer-seller relationships across cultures: Conceptual, empirical and methodological issues

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation was to examine the factors important in achieving success in cross-cultural business relationships, in this case between Russian buyers and Norwegian sellers of seafood. Emphasis was placed on exploring how cultural differences influence factors important in relationship satisfaction, how to attain the various factors, and how cultural differences are managed by buyers and sellers to achieve successful relationships. This study was based on the assumptions that the building and maintenance of satisfactory relationships and the ability to manage cultural differences between partners are good indicators of successful business relationships with a long-term orientation. Cultural differences are often emphasized as reasons for the failure of many business relationships. Still, limited attention has been devoted to investigating relationship quality across cultural borders. The findings reveal that while culture influences relationship satisfaction, it does not necessarily affect the factors perceived as important for achieving relationship satisfaction; rather, it appears to influence the means of achieving the various factors. While the Russian reliance on informal personal networks leads to a focus on gaining personal trust, acquiring personal information, and forming personal relationships as ways of showing commitment, the Norwegian reliance on formal networks leads to a focus on gaining trust in the company, acquiring business information, and the completion of contracts. In spite of previous literature emphasizing mutual adaptation as a prerequisite for managing differences and gaining successful business relationships, the findings reveal more or less unilateral adaptation by the Norwegian side to Russian business practices. This can be explained by the large power asymmetry between the partners and the Russians’ lack of cultural sensitivity or awareness of cultural differences between them and their Norwegian partners. The study further addresses challenges that may be encountered by Westerners planning and conducting qualitative research in Russia.