Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a cross-cultural RELQUAL-scale in
supplier-distributor relationships in Sweden and the USA.
Design/methodology/approach – The Swedish and US sampling frames consisted each of a
random sample of 600 owners and managers of distribution firms of specialty tools and fasteners.
A total of 161 usable surveys were returned from the US-survey, for a response rate of 27 percent,
while 121 usable surveys were returned from the Swedish survey, for a response rate of 20 percent.
An overall response rate of 24 percent was achieved across both countries.
Findings – The paper provides support for the dimensional distinctiveness of cooperation,
coordination, specific assets, satisfaction, trust, and commitment. Four of the dimensions are reflective
of relationship quality or the “cross-cultural RELQUAL-scale” (cooperation, coordination, trust, and
commitment) and relationship quality was found to be associated with relationship-satisfaction with
suppliers. A test of metric invariance confirmed the RELQUAL-scale is appropriate for cross-cultural
research.
Research limitations/implications – Examining the tested in other industrial and
cultural contexts and countries in other inter-organizational settings could help establish the
generality of findings beyond Sweden and the USA and that beyond the context of the
distributor-supplier relationship of fasteners and specialty tools.
Practical implications – The “cross-cultural RELQUAL-scale” is of interest to business practice as
it provides a structure of dimensions to be considered in the organizational effort of maintaining
satisfactory levels of relationship quality with suppliers.
Originality/value – The paper focuses on two different cultural contexts, which is an approach
rarely seen in inter-organizational research. The focal constructs are frequently included in
inter-organizational research, but have previously not been included in the same empirical study of
RELQUAL.