Title: The relationship between power bases and group-buying decisions in Malaysia: does it vary according to viscidity, time constraint, and perceived risk?

Authors: T. Ramayah, Aizzat Mohd Nasurdin, Mohd Nasser Mohd Noor, R. Letchumanan

Addresses: School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, 11800 Penang, Malaysia. ' School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, 11800 Penang, Malaysia. ' School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, 11800 Penang, Malaysia. ' Honeywell (S) Private Limited, Penang, Malaysia

Abstract: This study has two objectives: first, to examine the relationship between the bases of power and amount of influence in a group buying decision, and second, to test the moderating effects of three contingency variables (viscidity, time constraint, and perceived risk) on the relationship between power bases and influence attempts. Regression analysis on a sample of 92 respondents derived from various departments within 20 electronic firms operating in Malaysia showed that only three out of six power bases (expert power, reward power, and legitimate power) had significant and positive effects on influence in group decision making at the 0.05 level. In all, the six bases of power contributed 30% of the variance in buying influence. Only viscidity was found to moderate the relationship between power bases (coercive and legitimate) and influence in group buying decisions. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Keywords: group buying; Malaysia; power bases; viscidity; time constraints; perceived risk; electronics firms; purchasing decisions.

DOI: 10.1504/JGBA.2008.018386

Journal for Global Business Advancement, 2008 Vol.1 No.2/3, pp.289 - 308

Published online: 19 May 2008 *

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