Relationship quality, cooperation and performance: The specific case of Portuguese companies operating in Angola

Abstract

This research encompasses the main concepts of relationship marketing in order to develop a model that explains the different factors preceding the export performance of Portuguese companies operating in Angola; it particularly seeks to understand the relationship between exporters and their local intermediaries from a relationship point of view. This study is particularly relevant because studies on emergent markets are scarce. The conceptual model presented is based on the relationship marketing literature, specifically the Morgan-Hunt Model (1994), named KMV (Key Mediating Variables). It intends to analyse how trust influences both commitment and cooperation. Similarly, it examines how commitment influences cooperation. Finally, this study aims to analyse the association between cooperation and export performance based on the last and next three years. Concerning the methodology adopted questionnaire and interviews that have been chosen. The study sampled 102 Portuguese companies at FILDA (International Fair of Luanda). Thirty questionnaires were fully completed and the data was analysed through SPSS. Meanwhile, some Portuguese companies’ managers were interviewed so that questions related to «how» and «why» could be clarified. All in all, it was possible to acknowledge a positive association amongst trust, commitment and cooperation. Likewise, it was confirmed that there is also a positive association between cooperation and export performance. Suggestion for future research is analysis of matched pairs, that is, the Portuguese exporting companies and their distributors in Angola.

Keywords

• international marketing
• relationship marketing
• commitment-trust theory
• trust
• commitment
• cooperation
• export performance