• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.29-41
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• 2012

This paper undertakes a conceptual review of transaction cost to broaden the understanding of the transaction cost analysis (TCA) approach. More than 40 years have passed since Coase's fundamental insight that transaction, coordination, and contracting costs must be considered explicitly in explaining the extent of vertical integration. Coase (1937) forced economists to identify previously neglected constraints on the trading process to foster efficient intrafirm, rather than interfirm, transactions. The transaction cost approach to economic organization study regards transactions as the basic units of analysis and holds that understanding transaction cost economy is central to organizational study. The approach applies to determining efficient boundaries, as between firms and markets, and to internal transaction organization, including employment relations design. TCA, developed principally by Oliver Williamson (1975,1979,1981a) blends institutional economics, organizational theory, and contract law. Further progress in transaction costs research awaits the identification of critical dimensions in which transaction costs differ and an examination of the economizing properties of alternative institutional modes for organizing transactions. The crucial investment distinction is: To what degree are transaction-specific (non-marketable) expenses incurred? Unspecialized items pose few hazards, since buyers can turn toalternative sources, and suppliers can sell output intended for one order to other buyers. Non-marketability problems arise when specific parties' identities have important cost-bearing consequences. Transactions of this kind are labeled idiosyncratic. The summarized results of the review are as follows. First, firms' distribution decisions often prompt examination of the make-or-buy question: Should a marketing activity be performed within the organization by company employees or contracted to an external agent? Second, manufacturers introducing an industrial product to a foreign market face a difficult decision. Should the product be marketed primarily by captive agents (the company sales force and distribution division) or independent intermediaries (outside sales agents and distribution)? Third, the authors develop a theoretical extension to the basic transaction cost model by combining insights from various theories with the TCA approach. Fourth, other such extensions are likely required for the general model to be applied to different channel situations. It is naive to assume the basic model appliesacross markedly different channel contexts without modifications and extensions. Although this study contributes to scholastic research, it is limited by several factors. First, the theoretical perspective of TCA has attracted considerable recent interest in the area of marketing channels. The analysis aims to match the properties of efficient governance structures with the attributes of the transaction. Second, empirical evidence about TCA's basic propositions is sketchy. Apart from Anderson's (1985) study of the vertical integration of the selling function and John's (1984) study of opportunism by franchised dealers, virtually no marketing studies involving the constructs implicated in the analysis have been reported. We hope, therefore, that further research will clarify distinctions between the different aspects of specific assets. Another important line of future research is the integration of efficiency-oriented TCA with organizational approaches that emphasize specific assets' conceptual definition and industry structure. Finally, research of transaction costs, uncertainty, opportunism, and switching costs is critical to future study.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.51-84
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• 2011

It seems essential to examine the factors that may affect relationship commitment of subcontractors to parent companies in the industrial market in Korea in an effort to construct a win-win-type cooperative network among them. Lots of studies have been focusing on the consumer goods market. Relatively few studies have been focused on industrial market. In the industrial goods market subcontractors used to sell their parts or services only to a small number of parent companies in a large quantity, resulting in decisive control of subcontractors over the quality of parent companies' finished goods. This is why relationship between subcontractors and parent companies is extremely important. From this viewpoint, this study aims to survey and analyze empirically the paths leading to relationship commitment of subcontractors toward the parent companies which are required to incite them to build up a collaborative network by means of subcontractors' entrepreneurship. For this aim, market orientation effects of entrepreneurship as well as factors of performance and trust are particularly set forth as the bases of developing hypotheses in this study in order to explore the paths from entrepreneurship to relationship commitment as follows. First, the path of entrepreneurship-market orientation-communication-trust- relationship commitment; second, the path of entrepreneurship-market orientation-performance-relationship commitment; third, the path of entrepreneurship-market orientation-transaction specific asset investment -trust-relationship commitment; and fourth, the path in which the entrepreneurship is expected to promote direct transaction specific asset investment by parent companies to induce their trust and, eventually, relationship commitment of subcontractors. The outcomes of the empirical analysis in this study may be summed up as follows: First, the conclusions of preceding studies are also supported here by the fact that the entrepreneurship of subcontractors promotes their market orientation (hypothesis 9), indicating that the entrepreneurship can facilitate collection, proliferation of and response to market informations. On the contrary, however, the assumption that the entrepreneurship of subcontractors might directly accelerate transaction specific asset investment by parent companies (hypothesis 8) is rejected. Second, although the influence of subcontractors' entrepreneurship on parent companies' investment of assets peculiar to their transactions is not affirmed, the assumption is found to be supported that subcontractors' market orientation would expedite the parent companies' investment of assets peculiar to their transactions. Moreover, it is also confirmed that parent companies' investment of assets peculiar to transactions would promote subcontractors' trust toward the parent companies (hypothesis 6), signifying that parent companies may level up their trust in subcontractors when they make great amount of efforts to invest in the assets peculiar to transactions, not behaving opportunistically, Third, the hypotheses 4 and 5 also turn out to be supported by the analysis as the former assumes that market orientation could promote communication and the latter relates that the communication between subcontractors and parent companies would prompt trust, both results in affirming that market orientation could introduce open communication to speed up sharing of information and that sharing of information by way of communication might give an impetus to trust. Fourth, the assumption that subcontractors' market orientation would expedite performance (hypothesis 3) is also proved favorably to the significant level equivalent to that of preceding studies. Fifth, same as preceding studies, it is also verified in this study that the benefit (outcomes) awarded by parent companies to subcontractors will be a direct cause exercising a positive impact upon relationship commitment(hypothesis 2) and that the trust of subcontractors toward parent companies may have affirmative influence on the relationship commitment(hypothesis 1). Overall, the first, second and third paths are identified as being supported by the hypotheses among constituent factors, while the fourth path is deemed meaningless since it is shown that the entrepreneurship exercises no effects on parent companies' investment in the assets peculiar to transactions.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.49-70
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• 2003

현재 우리 나라 약업계에서는 의약분업, 일부 의약품의 슈퍼마켓에서의 판매 등의 급격한 환경변화로 약국경영형태의 혁신적인 변화가 진행되고 있다. 본 논문에서는 현재 약업계에서는 급속히 발전되고 있으나 학문적으로는 연구된 적이 거의 없는 볼런터리 체인형태의 협업체 약국에 초점을 맞추어 가맹약국과 체인본부와의 거래관계의 질과 체인약국 시스템의 효율적인 운영 및 관리방안을 알아보았다. 본 논문에서는 연구목적들을 달성하기 위하여 특정 협업체 약국체인에 참여하고 있는 168개의 가맹약국을 대상으로 자료를 전국적으로 수집하였으며, 구조방정식 모형을 사용하여 연구가설을 검정한 분석결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 약국체인시스템에 투자한 가맹약국의 거래특유자산과 기업가정신은 관계규범에 유의한 영향을 주었으나, 환경의 불확실성은 정보교환, 결속력, 운영유연성 등의 관계규범에 유의적인 작용을 하지 못하였다. 둘째, 거래특유자산과 동기적 투자는 체인구성원들간의 상호의존성을 유의하게 높였으나, 대체안의 획득가능성과 관계규범은 상호의존성에 중요한 영향을 미치지 못하였다. 마지막으로, 체인구성원간의 관계규범과 상호의존성이 관계의 질 즉 가맹약국들이 거래에서 느끼는 만족, 체인본부에 대한 신뢰, 약국체인에 지속적으로 참여하려는 몰입에 주는 영향을 분석하였다. 상호의존성은 관계규범과 신뢰에 영향을 주고, 관계규범은 만족을 통하여 신뢰에 유의한 영향을 주었으며, 그리고 신뢰는 몰입에 유의적인 영향을 주었다.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.211-221
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• 2016

The rapid trends toward outsourcing and collaboration have created complex multi-tier supply chains for construction and engineering industries. Working with suppliers and sub-suppliers requires continuous integration activities in order to maximize the performances of the entire supply chain. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors influencing the performances and long-term business relationship of second-tier suppliers in directed sourcing environment. This study proposes the asset specificity, trust, information-sharing and collaboration, as antecedents variables, and collected the survey responses from the second-tier suppliers in rebar manufacturing works. The statistical results indicate that the asset specificity, trust, information-sharing and collaboration have significant influences on the long-term business relationship of rebar manufacturing second-tier suppliers, but trust has no impact on the performances of second-tier suppliers at 5% significance level. Practical implications are also discussed.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.133-143
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• 2014

This paper investigate how transaction cost factors affect organizational performance both directly and indirectly, through cooperative relationship lasting factors and degree of relationship satisfaction. The results can be summarized as follows: First, asset uncertainty directly influenced financial and non-financial performance. Also asset specificity and opportunism did not influence financial and non financial performance directly. Second cooperative relationship lasting factors were connected with transaction cost factors direct variables on cooperative relationship lasting factors are asset specificity and uncertainty, but opportunism did not directly influence. Third, degree of relationship satisfaction were connected with transaction cost factors direct variables on degree of relationship satisfaction are asset specificity and opportunism, but uncertainty had not affected degree of relationship satisfaction. Fourth, cooperative relationship lasting factors and degree of relation satisfaction had affected financial performance and non financial performance. In summary, this study find that transaction cost factors had indirectly influenced organizational performance through mediated variables such as cooperative relationship lasting factors and degree of relationship satisfaction.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.149-157
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• 2009

This study aims to empirically examine the factors influencing mobile channel loyalty. This study has been reviewed various theoretical research relating to mobile channel loyalty and transaction cost theory. The model was tested Structural Equation Modeling(SEM) using AMOS 7.0 analysis on the sample collected from 240 respondents. The result of hypothesis testing is as follows. First, asset specificity, uncertainty and transaction frequency were influenced by chanel satisfaction. Second, asset specificity was influenced negatively by chanel preference. Third, chanel satisfaction was influenced positively by chanel preference. Finally, chanel satisfaction and chanel preference were influenced positively by chanel loyalty.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.65-84
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• 2007

The relation between franchiser and franchisee participated the franchise system was studied focused on brand for the correlation of relationship dissolution. Basically the relation among brand equity, internal brand, conflict and relationship dissolution based on brand on franchise system were investigated. The study of external factor and internal one of brand recognized by franchisee was conducted. The questionnaire was carried out for franchisee participated of national franchise system. The results showed that the brand external factor of brand transaction cost, brand equity and brand communication had influence on brand dissolution by the affection of brand identification and conflict classified as brand internal factor. In addition, brand internal reinforcement factor affected brand dissolution also. The structural causal inference between internal factor and external one was examined. Finally, the theoretical and managerial insight were suggested on the brand role for the consecutive relation as well as the limit of the study and future suggestion were included.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.79-102
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• 2011

Researchers in channel dyads have devoted much attention to relationship between interdependence (i.e. interdependence enymmetry and total interdependence) and conflict that promote channel performance. In social science, in spite of the inconsistent results in marketing practice, there are two contradictory theories explain the relationship between interdependence and conflict - bilateral deterrence theory and conflict spiral theory. The authors apply these theories to co-marketing alliance situation in terms that this relationship is also incorporated both company's dependence, either from one company's perspective or each partner about its respective dependence. Using survey data and archival data from 181 companies enlisted in a telecommunication membership program, the authors find out the relationship between interdependence and conflict as well as investigate the antecedents of interdependence - transaction age, transaction frequency, the numbers of alliance partner, and co-marketing alliance specific assets according to previous researches. Using PLS analysis, the authors demonstrate that, with increasing total interdependence in a telecommunication membership program, two co-marketing partners' conflict level is increased in accord with the author's conflict spiral theory predictions. As expected, higher interdependence asymmetry has negative value to level of conflict even though this result is not statistically significant. Other findings can be summarized as follows. In the perspective of telecommunication company, transaction age, transaction frequency, and co-marketing alliance specific assets have influence on its dependence on a partner as independent variables. To the contrary, in a partner's perspective, transaction frequency, co-marketing alliance specific assets and the numbers of alliance partner have significantly impact on its dependence on a telecommunication company. In direct effect analysis, it is shown that transaction age, frequency and co-marketing alliance specific assets have direct influence on conflict. This results suggest that it is more useful for a telecommunication company to select a co-marketing partner which is frequently used by customers and earned high rates of mileage. In addition, the results show that dependence of a telecommunication company on a co-marketing partner is more significantly effected to co-marketing alliance conflict than partner's one. It provide an effective conflict management strategy to a telecommunication company for controling customer's usage rate or having the co-marketing partner deposit high level of alliance specific investment (i.e. mileage). To a co-marketing partner of telecommunication company, it is required control the percentage of co-marketing sales in total sales revenue or seek various co-marketing partners in order for co-marketing conflict management. The research implications, limitation and future research of these results are discussed.

• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.29-41
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• 2022

Since the first sale of a banner advertisement in 1995, electronic commerce has become a new transaction channel for consumers. With more than 20 years of its history, electronic commerce has become an important consumption channel for everyone and inexperience is no more a reason that discourages the consumption through this channel. The great expansion of this channel is now a formidable thereat to traditional channels. However, products with high asset specificity and complexity are still having difficulty to be traded over the online channel where the experience of the products for a consumer is limited. Especially, variations of the same product's quality depending on how pre-owners used the product and high complexity to describe the quality of the products prevent used goods from being traded over e-channels. Added to that, the information asymmetry between sellers and buyers for used goods makes the establishment of market transaction difficult. Considering the challenges, the current case study discusses thredUP, a clothing resale platform company. In this paper, we study how the company could overcome those limitations in this toughest resale market through the use of AI for dynamic pricing and standarized product quality ratings. In addition, we also hope to provide readers with the opportunity to understand the secondhand industries and its market, and see where it is heading for in the future.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.41-68
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• 2001

최근 20년간 마케팅을 비롯하여 사회과학 전반에 걸쳐 기업이론에 관하여 새로운 패러다임으로 각광을 받아온 신제도학파 접근방법은 이익극대화를 기업의 중심적 행동으로 가정하고 있는 신고전학파의 맹점을 극복하여 조직문제를 포괄적으로 다룰 수 있음을 보여주고 있다. 이 이론은 한정된 합리성, 기회주의, 자산 특수성, 지배구조, 신뢰 및 협동 등의 핵심적 개념들이 동태적 환경 하에서 활동하고 있는 기업의 경제적 행동을 분석하고 이해하는데 크게 기여하였음이 입증되고 있다. 이것은 다수의 실증적 문헌들에서 엿볼 수 있다. 그러나 신제도학파의 이론적 틀은 두 가지 면에서 주요 결점을 안고 있다. 그 하나는 이론의 정당성을 입증하기 위한 실증적 연구결과물을 무수하게 찾아볼 수 있으나, 대부분이 연구의 타당성이 결여되어 있다는 점이고, 또 하나의 결정적 결함은 신고전학파와 마찬가지로 비교정태적 접근방법을 택함으로써 역사적 관점이 도외시되고 기업의 전략개발과 구조적 변동을 이해하는데 필수적인 조직과 기술간의 동태적 상호작용의 중요성을 간과하고 있다는 점이다. 이에 따라 본고에서는 국제교역 이론가들이 제시한 기업 특유의 경쟁우위에 관한 착상과 그러한 우위가 기업 내외의 네트워크 형성을 포함하여 결집된 조직역량에서 도출된다는 견해를 거래비용이론에 접목시킴으로써 기업의 성격과 그 성장방식을 보다 설득력있게 이해할 수 있으리라는 관점을 제시하려 하였다. 이와 같이 거래비용이론과 진화론을 결합하면 신제도학파 기업이론의 결점이 보완되고 이론의 발전이 한 단계 진일보할 것으로 기대된다. 특히 마케팅 연구자들이 거래비용이론의 경우와 마찬가지로 본고에서 제시한 통합이론에 대해서도 실증적 연구를 행하면 이론개발에 크게 기여할 것으로 생각된다.