Previous studies including SPT
| Concept/theory | Reference | Conceptualization, definition or application of the concept/theory | Sales context | Method | Main results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPT | Hansen and Riggle (2009) | Investigates ethical salesperson behavior in sales relationships. Applied SPT in building a hypothesis related to buyer communication. Authors assume buyers who believe the salesperson is ethical and trustworthy will feel comfortable disclosing information at a deeper level | Members of the Institute for Supply Management database. B2B sales | Web-based survey (N = 206) | The results show that ethical salesperson behavior was positively related to trust in the salesperson. Buyers who hold more favorable attitudes toward the salesperson are more likely to exhibit desirable behavior |
| Johnston et al. (2012) | Examines the role of interchannel communication in motivating buyers for joint action in international exchange relationships. Applies SPT when building a hypothesis related to the seller’s communication frequency and how it is linked to the buyer’s trust in the seller and satisfaction with the seller | Taiwanese buyers (specifically importers). B2B sales | Survey (N = 150) | Trust and commitment mediate the relationship between frequent and bidirectional communication and joint action. Psychological distance has a moderating impact on the relationships between communication facets and relational mediators | |
| Liu and Gao (2014) | Applies SPT to investigate relational risk typologies for guanxi boundary spanners. Ties SPT to social exchange embedded in Western cultures. Presents the onion skin analogy in SPT as conceptually similar to the embedded circles in guanxi ties and the guanxi-concentric model | Guanxi boundary spanners in China and New Zealand. B2B sales | Qualitative study, using critical incident technique. In-depth interviews with 33 guanxi boundary spanners | The findings identify two underlying factors (social norm conflicts and the strength of guanxi ties) creating four types of relational risks for guanxi brokering: the unneeded-middleman; profit-exploiter; information-trader; and the shameless foreign-supporter | |
| Arli et al. (2018) | Reviews relational selling. Authors mention SPT when reviewing theories of relationship selling, highlighting that SPT introduces the constructs of social disclosure, relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure | Review study | Literature review | Offers examples from existing literature including Jacobs et al. (2001) on social disclosure and Palmatier et al. (2006) on relationship satisfaction |
| Concept/theory | Reference | Conceptualization, definition or application of the concept/theory | Sales context | Method | Main results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPT | Investigates ethical salesperson behavior in sales relationships. Applied SPT in building a hypothesis related to buyer communication. Authors assume buyers who believe the salesperson is ethical and trustworthy will feel comfortable disclosing information at a deeper level | Members of the Institute for Supply Management database. B2B sales | Web-based survey ( | The results show that ethical salesperson behavior was positively related to trust in the salesperson. Buyers who hold more favorable attitudes toward the salesperson are more likely to exhibit desirable behavior | |
| Examines the role of interchannel communication in motivating buyers for joint action in international exchange relationships. Applies SPT when building a hypothesis related to the seller’s communication frequency and how it is linked to the buyer’s trust in the seller and satisfaction with the seller | Taiwanese buyers (specifically importers). B2B sales | Survey ( | Trust and commitment mediate the relationship between frequent and bidirectional communication and joint action. Psychological distance has a moderating impact on the relationships between communication facets and relational mediators | ||
| Applies SPT to investigate relational risk typologies for guanxi boundary spanners. Ties SPT to social exchange embedded in Western cultures. Presents the onion skin analogy in SPT as conceptually similar to the embedded circles in guanxi ties and the guanxi-concentric model | Guanxi boundary spanners in China and New Zealand. B2B sales | Qualitative study, using critical incident technique. In-depth interviews with 33 guanxi boundary spanners | The findings identify two underlying factors (social norm conflicts and the strength of guanxi ties) creating four types of relational risks for guanxi brokering: the unneeded-middleman; profit-exploiter; information-trader; and the shameless foreign-supporter | ||
| Reviews relational selling. Authors mention SPT when reviewing theories of relationship selling, highlighting that SPT introduces the constructs of social disclosure, relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure | Review study | Literature review | Offers examples from existing literature including |
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