Resolution Tactics of Supplier-Induced Disruptions: A Configurational Approach

Supplier-induced disruptions can severely damage buyers' trust. While research underscores the importance of both procedural justice (PJ) and distributive justice (DJ) in trust repair, these approaches are often studied in isolation despite their combined use in practice. This research examines under what conditions using one justice tactic versus both can lead to successful repair. Two theoretical lenses offer alternative predictions: Fairness heuristics theory suggests a single justice tactic may suffice, whereas motivation-hygiene theory posits that the combined use of both PJ and DJ may be more effective. Juxtaposing the two theoretical lenses and taking a configurational approach, we (a) propose uncertainty as a key construct dictating each lens' applicability and (b) identify a set of uncertainty-driven boundary conditions—related to both individual buyers' traits and the focal disruption—to form configurations. We collected our data from two vignette-based experiments with 553 purchasing managers and supplemented the experiment data with qualitative insights gathered from 105 additional managers. In doing so, we uncover three configurations leading to successful trust repair and four resulting in failed repair. Our findings offer guidance for supplier managers in devising portfolios of disruption resolution tactics.