From the previous mentioned literature, it can be seen that relationship can be used as a device to influence customers and supplier and as well as other stakeholders. This influence is based on the respective problems, uncertainties and abilities of two parties. It is believed that a customer brings its problems and uncertainties to a supplier and supplier brings its ability to provide a solution. Ford et al (2003) discussed the three types of uncertainties a customer faces: Need Uncertainty (when the problem is difficult to determine); Market uncertainty (When the range of possible solutions is wide or technology is changing rapidly); Transaction uncertainty (When the concern is about fulfilment i.e. that is customer might not get what it ordered). Similarly Ford et al (2003) provides supplier’s uncertainties: Capacity uncertainty (the uncertainty over the amount that a supplier is likely to be able to sell in the future); Application uncertainty (how can offering be effectively used, will the customer demand rapid changes); Transaction uncertainty (A supplier may not trust a customer to actually take and pay for what the volume it ordered).

Factors including experience, uncertainty, distance, commitment and adaptations have concerns over buyer’s decision process. Experience is another crucial factor that affects the buyer to purchase the extension brand, based on the past experiences of parent brand and the brand image that has perceived. If the concept of Fit is applied in industrial market, the fit between parent and extended brand include reputation of parent brand, corporate image, Trust, reliability of the brand, positive feedback (PR), and relationship of a customer towards brand. From the literature, it has been seen that these factors do influence customer’s buying process, if the extended brand provide superior technical expertise; persistent quality portrayed by the parent brand, service and superior value offering or advanced technological edge to compete with the competitors in the market.

Continuing from the second part about the role of brands and relationship, various authors suggest an evolutionary process. This evolutionary process is traced using a complement of five variables: experience, uncertainty, distance, commitment and adaptations. These factors also determine for a buyer to complement the extension of a brand and future relationship with the parent brand. Distance is categorized into sub dimensions: Social Distance (Unfamiliarity between the two parties with each other’s way of thinking and working), Cultural Distance (Differences between the norms and values of two companies), Technological Distance (Differences between the product and production technologies of the companies) and Time Distance (The difference in actual occurrence of business; it may be discussing business that will actually occur at some considerable time. This may lack the urgency or unreality to interactions. When social distance is minimized, a “close relationship” is said to have been established. This may involve interactions among several functional areas and the emergence of strong personal relationships between individuals in the two companies. The strength of these ties can be seen by the extent of mutual problem solving and informal adaptations which occur.

Adaptation refers to the supplier has made investments in plant or product modifications that are specific to the relationship customer. Adaptation represents strong high involvement relationship between two companies. Commitment can be defined as the construct of activities that bound the firms to each other, and trust is the willingness of the actors to stay in a relationship. In industrial marketing studies, partners’ technological and product inputs binds the actor, and the interdependency interlocks them. Industrial commitment is the actors’ product and technological investments and adaptations in, and for, relationships (Ford, Gadde, Hakansson, & Snehota, 2003). Because of technological investments and adaptations in focal and close relationships, interlocks the actors to a degree that the switch to alternatives becomes costly (Morgan & Hunt, 1994).

As in first part, we discussed the role of buying decision behaviour and other aspects of brand associations in context of industrial market. I also stress upon the reputation of a firm when merged with buyer’s level of awareness and degree of loyalty has significant impact in purchase decision. A unique image, supportive communications program, and other components of brand value, including service levels, price, and value, are also critical to industrial buying process. Other factors such as, appropriate distribution services (i.e. logistical support and timeliness of delivery), support services and being adaptable to customer needs influences the customer’s willingness towards a brand. Similarly, the quality of the relationship between a firm and its buyers can facilitate the creation of intangible associations, which are also critical to the longer-term success of the industrial brand.
The relationship factor is decisive in industrial market. Where close relations can turn into alliances or partnerships. As Nielson (1997) defines “The formation of these partnerships is motivated primarily to gain competitive advantages in the marketplace, including access to new technologies or markets; the ability to provide a wider range of products/services: economies of scale in R&D or production; access to knowledge beyond the firm’s boundaries; sharing of risks; and access to complementary skills”. Ford, Gadde, Hakansson, & Snehota (2003) further explain the five stages in relationship development:

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