Contract Frames and Supplier Learning

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Zheng, Yi; Wang, Qiong; Wang, Xiaoyan; Yang, Zhilin
• 署名单位: University of North Texas System; University of North Texas Denton; University of Oklahoma System; University of Oklahoma - Norman; Shandong University; City University of Hong Kong
• 刊物名称: ORGANIZATION SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1047-7039
• DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2022.16526
• 发表日期: 2025
• 关键词: Contract; contract framing; promotion focus; PREVENTION FOCUS; supplier learning; exploration; exploitation

摘要

This research examines the impact of contract framing on supplier learning activities within buyer-supplier relationships, an area previously overshadowed by a focus on internal organizational learning mechanisms. Grounded in regulatory focus theory and organizational learning theory, this study assesses how promotion and prevention contract framing influences suppliers' exploration and exploitation activities. Survey data from 135 buyer-supplier relationship dyads reveals that promotion and prevention framing distinctly affect suppliers' learning activities. Specifically, during the duration of the contract, (a) compared with prevention contract framing, promotion contract framing has a stronger positive impact on the supplier's exploration learning activities; and (b) compared with promotion contract framing, prevention contract framing has a stronger negative impact on the supplier's exploitation learning activities. This study also reveals how the portfolios and clusters of contract framing influence supplier learning activities. Finally, this study reveals that different learning activities result in varied outcomes for the buyer, with exploration boosting continuity and exploitation improving performance. This contribution broadens the understanding of contract framing's psychological effects on supplier behavior, offering new insights into the dynamics of organizational learning activities and contract design.