THE CONSEQUENCES OF RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION AMONG CAR DEALERS: A LOOK AT MALAYSIAN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY

With the increasing interest in buyer-supplier relationships, relationship satisfaction has become an important factors in relationship marketing and channel theory. In the area of business relationships, relationship satisfaction is viewed as an essential ingredient in the development and maintenance of long-term buyer-supplier relationships and becoming critical in business relationships to lower transaction costs and foster greater economic value for both marketers and their customers. Despite the assumption that relationship satisfaction influences buyersupplier relationship, previous studies in this area had focused more on factors affecting overall satisfaction of relationship rather than the consequences of the satisfaction. Using a survey method, this study investigates the consequences of relationship satisfaction on trust and commitment among 107 Malaysian car dealers. Results revealed that when the car dealers are satisfied with the relationship with their suppliers, they tend to be more committed and trust the suppliers. Results are compared with earlier findings and implications for future research are discussed.