Power to all our friends? Living with imbalance in supplier-retailer relationships

This study investigates the issue of power in business-to-business relationships and constitutes an appraisal of the theory relating to issues of supply chain relationships, in which the received view from the Relationship Marketing (RM) literature with its emphasis on trust, dyadic symmetry and mutuality is questioned. It is contended, alternatively that other types of relationships, for example, those based on selfishness are equally relevant, and that power imbalanced business relationships are just as important to the understanding of business exchange. Specific reference is made to power relationships in vertical food supply channels in the UK, where the majority of control lies in the hands of large multiple retailers. The paper cites case material drawn from studies into the relationships between UK based fresh food supplier organizations and their principal customers, the leading UK food retailers, and determines specific outcomes with regard to issues of power, mutuality and the nature of power-dependent relationships.