BACK

Dissolving the paradox: toward a Yin–Yang perspective on the power and trust antagonism in collaborative business relationships

Horak, S. and Long, C. (2018). Dissolving the paradox: toward a Yin–Yang perspective on the power and trust antagonism in collaborative business relationships. Supply Chain Management, Vol. 23 No. 6, pp. 573-590.
DOI: 10.1108/SCM-01-2018-0013
Link: https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-01-2018-0013

Abstract
Purpose: By challenging the typical antagonistic view of the informal institutions power and
trust, this study explores the interrelatedness of the two through the yin-yang lens.
Design/methodology/approach: The data for this research stem from extensive group and
one-to-one interviews with Toyota and its domestic and international suppliers.
Findings: Contrary to the conventional antagonistic view of power and trust, the study finds
a different relationship between power and trust in Japan, namely a rather natural, mutually
integrative and dependent one. The paper assumes that Taoist ideals, in particular the forces
of yin-yang, explain this apparent contradiction.
Practical implications: Guided by the yin-yang perspective on power and trust balancing,
the study proposes six management paradigms regarding how power and trust relationships
can be developed and managed to increase collaboration performance.
Originality/value: While this research contributes to the research stream considering power
and trust as complements rather than substitutes, it introduces the yin-yang view of business
collaboration into the field of supply chain management in the automotive industry.
Furthermore, it proposes practical measurements for the management of collaborative
business relationships in a supply chain by taking advantage of the yin-yang view of putative
contradictions.

Keywords
Supply chain management, collaborative business relationships, automotive industry, Japan, informal institutions, power, trust, paradox, yin-yang.


   preprint download

BACK