Abstract

Considerable conceptual and empirical evidence in relational view of strategic networks reflects the fact that commitment is the ultimate outcome with causal precedence of satisfaction and trust. Geyskens et. al., (1999) state that over the time, satisfaction develops first, trust develops in the medium term, and commitment emerges only in the long-term. Whereas much of the literature in relational view of strategic networks seems like postulating a sequential link among the core relational constructs (i.e. satisfaction, trust and commitment), the author argues that the association among these constructs is not that simple and straight. In addition to the reciprocation effects, these constructs also feature certain paradoxical patterns of interaction at times. The author highlights a few paradoxes beyond the well-known ‘Satisfaction Trap’.