Skip to main content
Have a personal or library account? Click to login
Power, Machiavellian Behavior, and Trust in Strategic Supply Chain Partnerships: An Exploratory Empirical Study Cover

Power, Machiavellian Behavior, and Trust in Strategic Supply Chain Partnerships: An Exploratory Empirical Study

Open Access
|Aug 2026

References

  1. Arunachalam, S., Geetha, C., S, K., D, Y., Rj, K., M, R., & Palupati, S. (2026). Blockchain-enabled digital platforms for responsible business: building trust and traceability in global supply chains. Computers and Informatics, 6(1), 19–35. https://doi.org/10.62189/ci.1827239
  2. Axelrod, R. & Dion, D. (1988). The Further Evolution of Cooperation. Science 242(1), 1385–1390. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.242.4884.1385
  3. Bachmann, R. (2001). Trust, power and control in trans-organizational relations. Organization Studies, 22(2), 337–365. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840601222007
  4. Bagozzi, R. P., Verbeke, W. J., Dietvorst, R. C., Belschak, F. D., van den Berg, W. E., & Rietdijk, W. J. (2013). Theory of mind and empathic explanations of Machiavellianism: A neuroscience perspective. Journal of Management, 39(7), 1760-1798. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206312471393
  5. Barney, J. B. & Hansen, M.H. (1994). Trustworthiness as a source of competitive advantage. Strategic Management Journal, 15: 175–190. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.4250150912
  6. Bereczkei, T. (2017). Machiavellianism: The psychology of manipulation. New York: Routledge.
  7. Bromiley, P. & Cummings, L. L. (1995). Transaction costs in organizations with trust. In: Research on Negotiation in Organizations vol. 5, Bies, R., Sheppard, B., Lewicki, R. (Eds.), pp. 219–247. JAI Press: Greenwich, CT.
  8. Casciaro, T. & Piskorski, M. J. (2005). Power imbalance, mutual dependence, and constraint absorption: A closer look at resource dependence theory. Administrative Science Quarterly, 50(2), 167–199. https://doi.org/10.2189/asqu.2005.50.2.167
  9. Castille, C. M., Buckner, J. E., & Thoroughgood, C. N. (2018). Prosocial citizens without a moral compass? Examining the relationship between Machiavellianism and unethical pro-organizational behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 149(4), 919–930. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-016-3079-9
  10. Cesinger, B., K. Gundolf, M. Hughes, A. Khedhaouria & F. Montani. (2023). The bright and dark sides of the Dark Triad traits among senior managers: effects on organizational commitment. Review of Managerial Science, 17(5), 1731-1763. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-022-00571-3
  11. Chandler, J. A., Petrenko, O. V., Hill, A. D., & Hayes, N. T. (2021). CEO Machiavellianism and strategic alliances in family firms. Family Business Review, 34(1), 93–115. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486520938890
  12. Chopra, S., & Meindl, P. (2012). Understanding the Supply Chain. In: Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Planning, and Operation (pp 1–18). Pearson: London.
  13. Christie, R., & Geis, F. L. (1970). Studies in Machiavellianism. Academic Press: New York.
  14. Christopher, M. (2016). Logistics & supply chain management (5th ed.). Pearson Education: London.
  15. Christopher, M., & Peck, H. (2004). Building the resilient supply chain. The International Journal of Logistics Management, 15(2), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1108/09574090410700275
  16. Cousins, P. D. & Menguc, B. (2006). The implications of socialization and integration in supply chain management. Journal of Operations Management 24(2), 604–620. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2005.09.001
  17. Cox, A. (2001). Understanding Buyer and Supplier Power: A Framework for Procurement and Supply Competence. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 37: 8–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-493X.2001.tb00094.x
  18. Cox, A., Ireland, P., Lonsdale, C., Sanderson, J. & Watson, G. (2002). Supply chains, markets, and power: mapping buyer and supplier power regimes. Routledge: New York.
  19. Currall, S. C. & Inkpen, A. C. (2002). A multilevel approach to trust in joint ventures. Journal of International Business Studies 33(2), 479–495. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8491027
  20. Cuypers, I. R., Hennart, J. F., Silverman, B. S., & Ertug, G. (2021). Transaction cost theory: Past progress, current challenges, and suggestions for the future. Academy of Management Annals, 15(1), 111-150. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2019.0051
  21. Dahling, J. J., Whitaker, B. G., & Levy, P. E. (2009). The development and validation of a new Machiavellianism scale. Journal of Management, 35(2), 219–257. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206308318618
  22. Daugherty, P. J. (2011). Review of Logistics and Supply Chain Relationship Literature and Suggested Research Agenda. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management 41(1), 16–31. https://doi.org/10.1108/09600031111101402
  23. Dolgui, A., Ivanov, D. & Sokolov, B. (2018). Ripple effect in the supply chain: An analysis and recent literature. International Journal of Production Research 56(1–2), 414–430. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2017.1387680
  24. Ganesan, S. (1993). Negotiation Strategies and the Nature of Channel Relationships. Journal of Marketing Research 30(2), 183–203. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224379303000205
  25. Gereffi, G., Humphrey, J. & Sturgeon, T. (2005). The governance of global value chains. Review of International Political Economy, 12(1), 78–104. https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290500049805
  26. Hair, J. F., Jr., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
  27. Ireland, R. D. & Webb, J. W. (2007). A Multi-theoretic Perspective on Trust and Power in Strategic Supply Chains. Journal of Operations Management 25(1), 482–497. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2006.05.004
  28. Jonason, P. K., Li, N. P. & Buss, D. M. (2012). The costs and benefits of the Dark Triad: Implications for mate poaching and relationship maintenance. Personality and Individual Differences, 52(3): 296–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2009.11.003
  29. Ketchen, D. J., & Craighead, C. W. (2020). Research at the Intersection of Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain Management, and Strategic Management: Opportunities Highlighted by COVID-19. Journal of Management, 46(8), 1330–1341. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206320945028
  30. Krajewski, L. J., Wei, J. C., & Tang, L. L. (2005). Responding to schedule changes in build-to-order supply chains. Journal of Operations Management, 23(5), 452–469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2004.10.006
  31. Lane, C. in Bachmann, R. (1997). Co-operation in inter-firm relations in Britain and Germany: the role of social institutions. British Journal of Sociology 48(1), 226–254. https://doi.org/10.2307/591750
  32. Marbut, A. R., Harms, P. D., & Credé, M. (2025). In the service of the prince: A meta-analytic review of Machiavellian leadership. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 46(6), 939–969. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2877
  33. Molm, L. D. (1997). Risk and power use: constraints on the use of coercion in exchange. American Sociological Review 62(1), 113–133. https://doi.org/10.2307/2657455
  34. Morgan, R. M. & Hunt, S. D. (1994). The Commitment – Trust Theory of Relationship Marketing. Journal of Marketing, 58(3), 20–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299405800302
  35. Musarra, G., Robson, M. J. & Katsikeas, C. S. (2022). Machiavellianism in Alliance Partnerships. Journal of Marketing 87(2), 168–189. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429221100186
  36. Noordhoff, C. S., Kyriakopoulos, K., Moorman, C., Pauwels, P., & Dellaert, B. G. C. (2011). The Bright Side and Dark Side of Embedded Ties in Business-to-Business Innovation. Journal of Marketing, 75(5), 34–52. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.75.5.34
  37. Oliveira, N., & Lumineau, F. (2019). The dark side of interorganizational relationships: An integrative review and research agenda. Journal of Management, 45(1), 231–261. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206318804027
  38. Pfeffer, J., & Salancik, G. R. (1978). The External Control of Organizations: A Resource Dependance Perspective. Sage: New York.
  39. Rokkan, A. I. & Haugland, S. A. (2002). Developing relational exchange: effectiveness and power. European Journal of Marketing 36(1/2), 211–230. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560210412797
  40. Rousseau, D. M., Sitkin, S. B., Burt, R.S. & Camerer, C. (1998). Not so different after all: a cross-discipline view of trust. Academy of Management Review 23(3): 393–404. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1998.926617
  41. Sako, M. (1992). Prices, Quality and Trust: Inter-firm Relations in Britain and Japan. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
  42. Shah, S. I., Shahjehan, A., & Afsar, B. (2022). Leading Machiavellians on the road to better organizational behavior. Personnel Review, 51(5), 1604–1626. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-04-2020-0304
  43. Song, F., Wu, M., & Liu, R. (2025). The Impact of Supply Chain Structure Diversification on High-Quality Development: A Moderating Perspective of Digital Supply Chains. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 20(4), 301. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer20040301
  44. Wieland, A. (2020). Dancing the supply chain: Toward transformative supply chain management. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 57(1), 58–73. https://doi.org/10.1111/jscm.12248
  45. Williamson, O. E. (1985). The economic institutions of capitalism: Firms, markets, relational contracting. Free Press: New York.
  46. Wilson, D. S., Near, D., & Miller, R. R. (1996). Machiavellianism: A synthesis of the evolutionary and psychological literatures. Psychological Bulletin, 119(2), 285–299. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.119.2.285
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/orga-2026-0018 | Journal eISSN: 1581-1832 | Journal ISSN: 1318-5454
Language: English
Page range: 287 - 304
Submitted on: Mar 12, 2026
Accepted on: Jun 13, 2026
Published online: Aug 19, 2026
Published in print: Aug 1, 2026
Published by: University of Maribor
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

© 2026 Anja Kmetec, Matevž Obrecht, Sonja Mlaker Kač, published by University of Maribor
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.