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When it pays to have a friend on the inside: contingent effects of buyer advocacy on B2B suppliers

Author

Listed:
  • Justin M. Lawrence

    (Oklahoma State University)

  • Andrew T. Crecelius

    (Iowa State University)

  • Lisa K. Scheer

    (University of Missouri)

  • Son K. Lam

    (University of Georgia)

Abstract

As organizational buying systems grow more complex and sophisticated, suppliers increasingly rely on buyer advocacy: an individual buyer’s efforts to influence his/her colleagues such that the supplier’s standing is improved. Drawing from cognitive response theory, the authors hypothesize an inverted U-shaped relationship between a buyer’s advocacy for a supplier and the customer’s purchases from that supplier. They theorize that this effect is moderated by the advocate’s industry experience and customer–supplier relationship characteristics. An analysis of multisource data from a B2B service provider (Study 1) supports the predicted inverted U-shaped relationship, while a unique dataset from a large industrial supplier (Study 2) provides broad support for the hypothesized moderators. Finally, a randomized experiment (Study 3) replicates key findings and corroborates the theorized cognitive response mechanisms. Findings contribute to the limited literature on buyer advocacy within the organizational buying domain and offer practical implications for suppliers and buyers.

Suggested Citation

  • Justin M. Lawrence & Andrew T. Crecelius & Lisa K. Scheer & Son K. Lam, 2019. "When it pays to have a friend on the inside: contingent effects of buyer advocacy on B2B suppliers," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 47(5), pages 837-857, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joamsc:v:47:y:2019:i:5:d:10.1007_s11747-019-00672-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11747-019-00672-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. D. Eric Boyd & F. Javier Sese & Sebastian Tillmanns, 2023. "The design of B2B customer references: A signaling theory perspective," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 658-674, May.
    2. Johnson, Jeff S., 2023. "How business-to-business salespeople deal with buying center dissenters," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 590-608.
    3. Jeff S. Johnson, 2024. "“Sorry about my manager”: Mitigating customer-facing adverse manager behaviors," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1130-1151, July.
    4. Colleen E. McClure & Justin M. Lawrence & Todd J. Arnold & Lisa K. Scheer, 2023. "The opportunities and costs of highly involved organizational buyers," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 480-501, March.

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