Working your Way in

Esther de Ruijter and Jeroen Weesie
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Esther de Ruijter: Department of Sociology/ICS, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands; e.deruijter@fss.uu.nl
Jeroen Weesie: ICS/Sociology, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.140. 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands; j.weesie@fss.uu.nl

Rationality and Society, 2007, vol. 19, issue 1, 35-64

Abstract: This article studies the influence of trust problems and social embeddedness on the behavior of home maintenance suppliers, especially (1) their efforts to convince households of their trustworthiness, and (2) whether or not they will behave opportunistically. Data were collected by means of a vignette experiment among 83 home maintenance suppliers, with a total of 165 vignettes. To some extent, the problem potential increases the efforts suppliers make to convince the household of their trustworthiness; a large transaction volume increases the amount of time spent on drawing up a quotation. Suppliers are more likely to behave opportunistically if more complex jobs are involved. Network embeddedness prevents opportunism and decreases the investments made in commitments, while dyadic embeddedness has no effect. Apparently, it is less important for suppliers to invest in dyadic relations than staying on good terms with people who can spread negative information about them to others.

Keywords: household outsourcing; supplier behavior; trust problems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:ratsoc:v:19:y:2007:i:1:p:35-64

DOI: 10.1177/1043463106066378

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