TY - JOUR

T1 - Inter-organisational relationships in professional services

T2 - Towards a typology of service relationships

AU - Laing, A.W.

AU - Lian, P.C.S.

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - Purpose - Research into inter-organisational relationships has been one of the key drivers in the development of services marketing theory. Yet the understanding of the nature of such relationships, and the management of the relationship process, remains limited. Focusing on the development of buyer-seller relationships in an archetypal professional business service, this paper aims to critically examine the nature and format of inter-organisational service relationships. Design/methodology/approach - Research reported in the paper is based on case study research across multiple dyads (n = 7) in the occupational health sector supported by large-scale survey data. Findings - Argues that, rather than adhering to a single format in terms of characteristics or pattern of development, relationships are diverse and complex. A typology of "ideal type" relationship formats, ranging from quasi-transactional to internalised, is proposed. Each of these ideal types is characterised by a unique set of causal and resultant conditions. Research limitations/implications - The paper is based on data from a single, albeit archetypal, professional business service. Consequently future research should address the replicability of the results across other service sectors. Practical implications - The identification of these discrete relationship formats and their key characteristics along a continuum provides an empirical basis on which service professionals can develop targeted strategies for the management of particular inter-organisational relationships. Originality/Value - Building on preceding research, the paper provides empirically based analysis of the nature and format of inter-organisational relationships in professional service markets. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

AB - Purpose - Research into inter-organisational relationships has been one of the key drivers in the development of services marketing theory. Yet the understanding of the nature of such relationships, and the management of the relationship process, remains limited. Focusing on the development of buyer-seller relationships in an archetypal professional business service, this paper aims to critically examine the nature and format of inter-organisational service relationships. Design/methodology/approach - Research reported in the paper is based on case study research across multiple dyads (n = 7) in the occupational health sector supported by large-scale survey data. Findings - Argues that, rather than adhering to a single format in terms of characteristics or pattern of development, relationships are diverse and complex. A typology of "ideal type" relationship formats, ranging from quasi-transactional to internalised, is proposed. Each of these ideal types is characterised by a unique set of causal and resultant conditions. Research limitations/implications - The paper is based on data from a single, albeit archetypal, professional business service. Consequently future research should address the replicability of the results across other service sectors. Practical implications - The identification of these discrete relationship formats and their key characteristics along a continuum provides an empirical basis on which service professionals can develop targeted strategies for the management of particular inter-organisational relationships. Originality/Value - Building on preceding research, the paper provides empirically based analysis of the nature and format of inter-organisational relationships in professional service markets. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

KW - Business-to-business marketing

KW - Professional services

KW - Trust

U2 - 10.1108/08876040510591420

DO - 10.1108/08876040510591420

M3 - Journal article

VL - 19

SP - 114

EP - 127

JO - Journal of Financial Services Marketing

JF - Journal of Financial Services Marketing

SN - 1363-0539

IS - 2

ER -