Creating and Capturing Value in Repeated Exchange Relationships: Managing a Second Paradox of Embeddedness

Prior empirical studies suggest repeated exchange makes buyer-supplier relationships more valuable. A first order implication of this finding is that buyers will focus exchange to generate maximum value in relationships. However, buyers are equally concerned with value capture. By distributing rather than focusing exchange, buyers may position themselves to capture more of the value created, leaving buyers potentially conflicted concerning the choice. We label this dynamic the second paradox of embeddedness, distinguishing it from Uzzi’s (1997) paradox driven by technological uncertainty. By examining the procurement activities of a large, diversified manufacturing company, we then test for supplier and buyer behavior consistent with the conditions that enable and behaviors that result from this second paradox.