Title: Validating trust and commitment as mediators between economic and non-economic satisfaction in Puerto Rican buyer-supplier relationships

Authors: Juan Carlos Sosa Varela; Goran Svensson; Mercy Mpinganjira

Addresses: School of Business and Entrepreneurship, Universidad Ana G. Méndez, P.O. Box 3030, Gurabo, 00778-3030, Puerto Rico ' Kristiania University College, Oslo, Norway ' School of Consumer Intelligence and Information Systems, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract: To validate a research model established by Ferro et al. (2016) in which trust and commitment are mediators between economic and non-economic satisfaction. The sample for this study comprises a total of 400 small and medium-sized Puerto Ricans enterprises from various industrial sectors. A total of 133 usable questionnaires were returned, generating a response rate of 33.25%. A research model consisting of hypothesised relationships between constructs was tested based on a survey of small and medium-sized companies in Puerto Rico. Structural equation modelling using AMOS software was used to analyse the data. Trust and commitment are mediators between economic satisfaction and non-economic satisfaction. Valid and reliable theory should be applicable across contexts and through time offering a foundation of the generality of empirical findings. It provides managerial support and guidance to assess satisfaction, trust, and commitment in business relationships. It offers a foundation of validity and reliability across contexts and through the time of a nomological framework consisting of economic and non-economic satisfaction, trust and commitment.

Keywords: economic; non-economic; satisfaction; trust; commitment; business relationships; SME; Puerto Rico.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPM.2019.101227

International Journal of Procurement Management, 2019 Vol.12 No.4, pp.391 - 409

Received: 11 Jul 2017
Accepted: 23 Apr 2018
Published online: 29 Jul 2019 *

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