Buyer–supplier (B–S) relationships are dynamic. Nevertheless, research on external supply chain integration (SCI) has largely adopted a static-snapshot perspective and has failed to grasp SCI's dynamic reality. The scant research devoted to SCI's dynamic perspectives suggests that the strength and scope of ties between buyers and suppliers differ based on integration levels. However, ambiguity persists regarding the relational behaviors exhibited across integration levels, as well as the stimulants that motivate firms to evolve their relationships. With buyers increasingly relying upon suppliers (and vice-versa) and compounded by the knowledge that nearly half of SCI initiatives end up as failures, the need for a holistic framework that takes into account the underlying dynamics of relational behaviors and stimulants cannot be overstated. Using a mixed-methods approach, six relational behaviors that differ in their saliency across SCI levels are identified, and eight stimulants that motivate B–S relationships to evolve are extracted. Specifically, we note that once a stimulant is activated, it remains influential across SCI levels, though its potency may vary. Our research significantly extends the contemporary understanding of SCI by (i) providing a holistic framework to comprehend SCI from a behavioral perspective, and (ii) noting that the highest integration levels do not necessarily typify successful B–S relationships. In doing so, we combine an evolutionary perspective with a relationship portfolio perspective for examining B–S relationship dynamics, thereby offering a comprehensive view to yield finer-grained insights into B–S relationship dynamics.

中文翻译：

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关系进化是好是坏？这取决于！对供应链整合的关系行为和刺激因素的定性和定量检验

买方-供应商 (B-S) 关系是动态的。然而，外部供应链整合（SCI）的研究大多采用静态快照的视角，未能把握 SCI 的动态现实。很少有关于 SCI 动态视角的研究表明，买家和供应商之间联系的强度和范围因整合程度而异。然而，关于跨集成级别表现出的关系行为以及激励公司发展他们的关系的刺激因素仍然存在歧义。随着买家越来越依赖供应商（反之亦然），再加上近一半的 SCI 计划最终以失败告终，因此需要一个考虑到关系行为和兴奋剂的潜在动态的整体框架，这一点怎么强调都不为过。使用混合方法，确定了六种在 SCI 级别上显着性不同的关系行为，并提取了八种促进 B-S 关系发展的刺激物。具体来说，我们注意到，一旦兴奋剂被激活，它仍然会在 SCI 水平上产生影响，尽管其效力可能会有所不同。我们的研究通过以下方式显着扩展了当代对 SCI 的理解：（i）提供从行为角度理解 SCI 的整体框架，以及（ii）指出最高的整合水平并不一定代表成功的 B-S 关系。在此过程中，我们将进化视角与关系组合视角相结合，以检验 B-S 关系动态，从而提供一个全面的视角，从而对 B-S 关系动态产生更细粒度的见解。