Table 3. Previous studies including... | Emerald Publishing

Table 3.

Previous studies including self-disclosure

Concept/theory	Reference	Conceptualization, definition or application of the concept/theory	Sales context	Method	Main results
Self-disclosure	Bantham et al. (2003)	Applies interdependence theory and dialectical theory to understanding interorganizational relationships. Self-disclosure is seen as a communication skill applied to sharing needs, feelings and specific requests	Manufacturing firms. B2B sales	Conceptual and qualitative study. 25 interviews with employees who are involved with the management and operations of partnerships	Conceptual study proposes an organizational partnership framework Qualitative interviews support the idea of looking at buyer–supplier partnerships in terms of dialectical interdependence
	Haytko (2004)	Investigates advertising agency account managers’ experiences of their firm-to-firm and interpersonal relationships. Self-disclosure is mentioned in conjunction with SPT, referring to the fact that personal relationships develop as partners disclose intimate and private information	Advertising agency, service selling. B2B sales	Qualitative study. 20 interviews, incl. 200 dyadic relationships	The findings show that firm-to-firm relationships are defined based on the extent to which the agency is involved in the client’s business (vendor, partner or surrogate manager). Interpersonal relationships are categorized as strictly business, business friends and highly personal. “Personal” relationships include extensive reciprocity in self-disclosure
	Geiger and Turley (2005)	Investigates socializing behavior in B2B sales, particularly in the context of out-of-office client socializing. Recognizes self-disclosure as one of the four important concepts related to socializing. Refers to Jacobs et al. (2001) when defining self-disclosure as exchange-specific or social self-disclosure	B2B sales, diverse industries	Data from 24 B2B sellers working across the Republic of Ireland	The findings indicate that client socializing can be viewed as a valuable selling strategy when the aim is to build and maintain long-term and close customer relationships. Socializing can create social bonds between partners, which can positively affect the level of communication in the relationship as well as increase relationship quality, trust and satisfaction
	Hung and Lin (2013)	Explores the interplay between effective communication and interpersonal conflict in influencing satisfaction. Purchasers’ self-disclosure with sellers is measured with four items reflecting the closeness of interpersonal relationships (Crosby et al., 1990)	B2B sales; purchasers working in variety of industries in Taiwan	Survey (N = 298) of purchasers	The results indicated that as the level of effective communication increased, the negative impacts of relationship conflict on satisfaction decreased, but the positive impacts of task conflict on satisfaction also decreased. The study did not focus on exploring self-disclosure
	Koponen et al. (2019)	Investigates sales communication competence in an international B2B solution selling context	International B2B solution selling. B2B sales	39 in-depth interviews with international B2B sellers, sales managers, CEOs and sales educators	The findings indicate that self-disclosure is one of the important relational communication skills required by B2B solution sellers to develop customer relationships

Concept/theory	Reference	Conceptualization, definition or application of the concept/theory	Sales context	Method	Main results
Self-disclosure	Bantham et al. (2003)	Applies interdependence theory and dialectical theory to understanding interorganizational relationships. Self-disclosure is seen as a communication skill applied to sharing needs, feelings and specific requests	Manufacturing firms. B2B sales	Conceptual and qualitative study. 25 interviews with employees who are involved with the management and operations of partnerships	Conceptual study proposes an organizational partnership frameworkQualitative interviews support the idea of looking at buyer–supplier partnerships in terms of dialectical interdependence
	Haytko (2004)	Investigates advertising agency account managers’ experiences of their firm-to-firm and interpersonal relationships. Self-disclosure is mentioned in conjunction with SPT, referring to the fact that personal relationships develop as partners disclose intimate and private information	Advertising agency, service selling. B2B sales	Qualitative study. 20 interviews, incl. 200 dyadic relationships	The findings show that firm-to-firm relationships are defined based on the extent to which the agency is involved in the client’s business (vendor, partner or surrogate manager). Interpersonal relationships are categorized as strictly business, business friends and highly personal. “Personal” relationships include extensive reciprocity in self-disclosure
	Geiger and Turley (2005)	Investigates socializing behavior in B2B sales, particularly in the context of out-of-office client socializing. Recognizes self-disclosure as one of the four important concepts related to socializing. Refers to Jacobs et al. (2001) when defining self-disclosure as exchange-specific or social self-disclosure	B2B sales, diverse industries	Data from 24 B2B sellers working across the Republic of Ireland	The findings indicate that client socializing can be viewed as a valuable selling strategy when the aim is to build and maintain long-term and close customer relationships. Socializing can create social bonds between partners, which can positively affect the level of communication in the relationship as well as increase relationship quality, trust and satisfaction
	Hung and Lin (2013)	Explores the interplay between effective communication and interpersonal conflict in influencing satisfaction. Purchasers’ self-disclosure with sellers is measured with four items reflecting the closeness of interpersonal relationships (Crosby et al., 1990)	B2B sales; purchasers working in variety of industries in Taiwan	Survey (N = 298) of purchasers	The results indicated that as the level of effective communication increased, the negative impacts of relationship conflict on satisfaction decreased, but the positive impacts of task conflict on satisfaction also decreased. The study did not focus on exploring self-disclosure
	Koponen et al. (2019)	Investigates sales communication competence in an international B2B solution selling context	International B2B solution selling. B2B sales	39 in-depth interviews with international B2B sellers, sales managers, CEOs and sales educators	The findings indicate that self-disclosure is one of the important relational communication skills required by B2B solution sellers to develop customer relationships