IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v109y2020icp648-658.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Concentrate or disperse? The relationship between major customer concentration and supplier profitability and the moderating role of insider ownership

Author

Listed:
  • Kwak, Kiho
  • Kim, Namil

Abstract

Suppliers are concerned about the extent of customer concentration, which creates supplier’s operating efficiency (benefit) as well as major customer’s bargaining power (cost). When these suppliers are SMEs with resource deficiency, they are more concerned with how to balance this trade-off. Regarding the problem, we study the relationship between customer concentration and supplier profitability and the moderating role of insider ownership, the fraction of equity owned by firm’s insiders, on the relationship. We find that concentration by major customers has a U-shaped relationship with supplier profitability, and this relationship is attenuated as insider ownership increases. This implies that insider ownership can attenuate the bargaining power of major customers and strengthen the operating efficiency of suppliers. Our findings provide relevant evidence on the costs and benefits of concentration by major customers as well as theorize the moderating role of insider ownership from the perspectives of interest alignment and collaborative relationship marketing.

Suggested Citation

  • Kwak, Kiho & Kim, Namil, 2020. "Concentrate or disperse? The relationship between major customer concentration and supplier profitability and the moderating role of insider ownership," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 648-658.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:109:y:2020:i:c:p:648-658
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.09.033
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296319305570
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.09.033?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Robert W. Palmatier & Srinath Gopalakrishna & Mark B. Houston, 2006. "Returns on Business-to-Business Relationship Marketing Investments: Strategies for Leveraging Profits," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(5), pages 477-493, September.
    2. Yoon Hee Kim, 2017. "The Effects of Major Customer Networks on Supplier Profitability," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 53(1), pages 26-40, January.
    3. Jo Thori Lind & Halvor Mehlum, 2010. "With or Without U? The Appropriate Test for a U‐Shaped Relationship," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 72(1), pages 109-118, February.
    4. McConnell, John J. & Servaes, Henri, 1990. "Additional evidence on equity ownership and corporate value," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 595-612, October.
    5. Richard F. J. Haans & Constant Pieters & Zi-Lin He, 2016. "Thinking about U: Theorizing and testing U- and inverted U-shaped relationships in strategy research," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(7), pages 1177-1195, July.
    6. Siah Hwee Ang, 2008. "Competitive intensity and collaboration: impact on firm growth across technological environments," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(10), pages 1057-1075, October.
    7. Rajeswararao Chaganti & Fariborz Damanpour, 1991. "Institutional ownership, capital structure, and firm performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(7), pages 479-491, October.
    8. Oli R. Mihalache & Justin J. J. P. Jansen & Frans A. J. Van Den Bosch & Henk W. Volberda, 2012. "Offshoring and firm innovation: The moderating role of top management team attributes," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(13), pages 1480-1498, December.
    9. B. Korcan Ak & Panos N. Patatoukas, 2016. "Customer-Base Concentration and Inventory Efficiencies: Evidence from the Manufacturing Sector," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 25(2), pages 258-272, February.
    10. Florackis, Chrisostomos & Kostakis, Alexandros & Ozkan, Aydin, 2009. "Managerial ownership and performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(12), pages 1350-1357, December.
    11. Leuthesser, Lance & Kohli, Ajay K., 1995. "Relational behavior in business markets : Iplications for relationship management," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 221-233, November.
    12. F. Cribari-Neto & S. G. Zarkos, 1999. "Bootstrap methods for heteroskedastic regression models: evidence on estimation and testing," Econometric Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(2), pages 211-228.
    13. Demsetz, Harold & Villalonga, Belen, 2001. "Ownership structure and corporate performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 209-233, September.
    14. Alberto de Miguel & Julio Pindado & Chabela de la Torre, 2004. "Ownership structure and firm value: new evidence from Spain," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(12), pages 1199-1207, December.
    15. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez‐De‐Silanes & Andrei Shleifer, 1999. "Corporate Ownership Around the World," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(2), pages 471-517, April.
    16. Grossman, Sanford J & Hart, Oliver D, 1983. "An Analysis of the Principal-Agent Problem," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 51(1), pages 7-45, January.
    17. Hu, Mei-Chih, 2012. "Technological innovation capabilities in the thin film transistor-liquid crystal display industries of Japan, Korea, and Taiwan," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 541-555.
    18. Yan Zhang & Nandini Rajagopalan, 2010. "Once an outsider, always an outsider? CEO origin, strategic change, and firm performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 334-346, March.
    19. Lewellen, Wilbur & Loderer, Claudio & Rosenfeld, Ahron, 1985. "Merger decisions and executive stock ownership in acquiring firms," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(1-3), pages 209-231, April.
    20. Juha Uotila & Markku Maula & Thomas Keil & Shaker A. Zahra, 2009. "Exploration, exploitation, and financial performance: analysis of S&P 500 corporations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 221-231, February.
    21. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    22. Pavitt, Keith, 1984. "Sectoral patterns of technical change: Towards a taxonomy and a theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 13(6), pages 343-373, December.
    23. Gugler, Klaus & Mueller, Dennis C. & Yurtoglu, B. Burcin, 2008. "Insider ownership, ownership concentration and investment performance: An international comparison," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 14(5), pages 688-705, December.
    24. Cui, Huimin & Mak, Y. T., 2002. "The relationship between managerial ownership and firm performance in high R&D firms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 8(4), pages 313-336, October.
    25. Shin, Jang-Sup, 2017. "Dynamic catch-up strategy, capability expansion and changing windows of opportunity in the memory industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 404-416.
    26. Nola Hewitt-Dundas, 2006. "Resource and Capability Constraints to Innovation in Small and Large Plants," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 257-277, April.
    27. Han, Ki C. & Suk, David Y., 1998. "The effect of ownership structure on firm performance: Additional evidence," Review of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(2), pages 143-155.
    28. Fama, Eugene F & Jensen, Michael C, 1983. "Separation of Ownership and Control," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(2), pages 301-325, June.
    29. Dhaliwal, Dan & Judd, J. Scott & Serfling, Matthew & Shaikh, Sarah, 2016. "Customer concentration risk and the cost of equity capital," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 23-48.
    30. Trish Kelly & Martin Gosman, 2000. "Increased Buyer Concentration and Its Effects on Profitability in the Manufacturing Sector," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 17(1), pages 41-59, August.
    31. Kwak, Kiho & Kim, Wonjoon & Kim, Karpsoo, 2018. "Latecomer firms' combination of strategies in a specialized suppliers sector: A comparative case study of the Korean plastic injection molding machine industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 190-205.
    32. David C. Schmittlein & Lee G. Cooper & Donald G. Morrison, 1993. "Truth in Concentration in the Land of (80/20) Laws," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(2), pages 167-183.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chen Zheng & Bing Zhu, 2021. "Concentrate or diversify? The relationship between tenant concentration and REIT performance," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 899-927, October.
    2. Zhu, Yongyi & Yu, Di, 2024. "Digital transformation and firms’ bargaining power: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    3. Xiao, Zhenxin & Yang, Bin & Dong, Songting & Chuoyan Dong, Maggie, 2024. "B2B strategies for surviving global crises: A resource dependence perspective on the COVID−19 pandemic," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    4. Wenjin Hu & Keith Skowronski & Yan Dong & Yongyi Shou, 2023. "Mergers and acquisitions in supply bases," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 32(4), pages 1059-1078, April.
    5. Ni, Jian & Cao, Xiyang & Zhou, Wei & Li, Jiali, 2023. "Customer concentration and financing constraints," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    6. Ding, Li & Lam, Hugo K.S. & Cheng, T.C.E. & Zhou, Honggeng, 2021. "The contagion and competitive effects across national borders: Evidence from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    7. Zhang, Jiping & Mo, Haimiao & Hu, Zhijian & Zhang, Tianjiao, 2024. "The effect of stability and concentration of upstream and downstream relationships of focal firms on two-level trade credit," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    8. Cao, Xiyang & Ni, Jian & Wang, Fei & Xu, Yue, 2023. "Does customer concentration affect corporate risk-taking? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PA).
    9. Cagri Gurbuz, Mustafa & Yurt, Oznur & Ozdemir, Sena & Sena, Vania & Yu, Wantao, 2023. "Global supply chains risks and COVID-19: Supply chain structure as a mitigating strategy for small and medium-sized enterprises," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PB).
    10. Liu, Bai & Ju, Tao & Chan, Hing Kai, 2022. "The diverse impact of heterogeneous customer characteristics on supply chain finance: Empirical evidence from Chinese factoring," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sylvain Marsat & Yves Mard & Fabien Roux, 2014. "Ownership structure and corporate financial performance: evidence from France [Structure de l’actionnariat et performance financière de l’entreprise : le cas français]," Post-Print hal-02156607, HAL.
    2. Weiß, Christian, 2010. "The Ownership Concentration of Firms: Three Essays on the Determinants and Effects," EconStor Theses, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, number 30247.
    3. Paolo Saona & Laura Muro & Pablo San Martín & Carlos Cid, 2020. "Ibero-American corporate ownership and boards of directors: implementation and impact on firm value in Chile and Spain," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(1), pages 2138-2170, January.
    4. Mona Mortazian & Seyedeh Asieh H. Tabaghdehi & Bryan Mase, 2019. "Large Shareholding and Firm Value in the Alternative Investment Market (AIM)," Asia-Pacific Financial Markets, Springer;Japanese Association of Financial Economics and Engineering, vol. 26(2), pages 229-252, June.
    5. Taylan Mavruk & Conny Overland & Stefan Sjögren, 2020. "Keeping it real or keeping it simple? Ownership concentration measures compared," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 26(4), pages 958-1005, September.
    6. Sacristán-Navarro, María & Gómez-Ansón, Silvia & Cabeza-García, Laura, 2011. "Large shareholders' combinations in family firms: Prevalence and performance effects," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 2(2), pages 101-112, June.
    7. Georgeta Vintila & Stefan Cristian Gherghina, 2014. "Insider Ownership and the Value of the Bucharest Stock Exchange Listed Companies: Convergence-of-Interest or Entrenchment Effect?," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 4(1), pages 183-195.
    8. Amitava Roy, 2014. "Corporate Governance and Firm Performance: An Exploratory Analysis of Indian Listed Companies," Jindal Journal of Business Research, , vol. 3(1-2), pages 93-120, June.
    9. Hamadi, Malika & Heinen, Andréas, 2015. "Firm performance when ownership is very concentrated: Evidence from a semiparametric panel," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 172-194.
    10. Kun Wang & Greg Shailer, 2015. "Ownership Concentration And Firm Performance In Emerging Markets: A Meta-Analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 199-229, April.
    11. He, Yan & Chiu, Yung-ho & Zhang, Bin, 2015. "The impact of corporate governance on state-owned and non-state-owned firms efficiency in China," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 252-277.
    12. Arosa, Blanca & Iturralde, Txomin & Maseda, Amaia, 2010. "Ownership structure and firm performance in non-listed firms: Evidence from Spain," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 88-96, June.
    13. Yacine Belghitar & Ephraim Clark & Konstantino Kassimatis, 2019. "A measure of total firm performance: new insights for the corporate objective," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 281(1), pages 121-141, October.
    14. Ming-Yuan Chen, 2006. "Managerial ownership and firm performance: an analysis using switching simultaneous-equations models," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(2), pages 161-181.
    15. Julio Pindado & Chabela De La Torre, 2006. "The Role of Investment, Financing and Dividend Decisions in Explaining Corporate Ownership Structure: Empirical Evidence from Spain," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 12(5), pages 661-687, November.
    16. Ferrell, Allen & Liang, Hao & Renneboog, Luc, 2016. "Socially responsible firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(3), pages 585-606.
    17. Stavros E. Arvanitis & Theodoros V. Stamatopoulos & Dimitris Terzakis, 2018. "Is There a Non-linear Relationship of Market Value with Cash and Ownership?," SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, University of Piraeus, vol. 68(1), pages 3-25, January-M.
    18. Mukhopadhyay, Jhuma & Chakraborty, Indrani, 2017. "Foreign institutional investment, business groups and firm performance: Evidence from India," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(PA), pages 454-465.
    19. Zeineb Barka & Taher Hamza, 2020. "The effect of large controlling shareholders on equity prices in France: monitoring or entrenchment?," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 24(3), pages 769-798, September.
    20. Surroca Aguilar, Jorge & Tribo Gine, José Antonio, 2009. "Is managerial entrenchment always bad? : a CSR approach," IC3JM - Estudios = Working Papers id-09-01, Instituto Mixto Carlos III - Juan March de Ciencias Sociales (IC3JM).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:109:y:2020:i:c:p:648-658. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.