Nevertheless, managers must know how their decisions affect the costs and rewards on the other side, at both levels, and how the levels interrelate, to create attractiveness. Companies cannot generate attractiveness by maintaining a “professional distance” or by running exchange through electronic interfaces.
Managing by market logic effectively locks out the many rewards generated in social exchange. Boundary spanners must interact socially to continuously provide rewards, particularly those of social character that are a prerequisite for attraction, and seek out new ways of strengthening the exchange,
while the ties grow stronger and improve their potential. Also, leveraging favorable power positions in bargaining, which has been best practice in many pur- chasing organizations,
not only eliminates improved attractiveness as an option,
but also generates costs for suppliers.