The value of the organisation’s credibility, reputation and interaction with customers equates to its relationship capital. Relationship capital defines the aptitude of an organisation to establish relationships in order to share information, knowledge, ideas, opportunities, contacts and referrals. However, the organisations as well as its personnel play a critical role in relational exchange and the quality of the relationship that is built with the customer. A strong positive relationship links relationship quality to suppliers, contact personnel and buyer’s loyalty by focussing on both the organisation and the individual commitments in a B2B relationship. The study seeks to determine the importance of organisational commitment and individual commitment in improving relationship quality within the Life Science industry. This is achieved by focusing on the individual antecedents that form individual commitment, consisting of antecedents such as communication, similarity, interaction frequency and the seller’s expertise. Similarly, it determines the buyer’s commitment to the organisation which consists of antecedents such as dependence on seller, relationship age and relationship benefits.The findings offer important insight of relationships between buyers and sellers in the B2B markets. The results indicate that relationship quality can be increased by simultaneously focussing on individual and organisational antecedents. The individual antecedents that significantly influence relationships in the Life Science industry are the seller’s expertise followed by interaction frequency. Similarly, the organisational antecedents are the relationship age followed by relationship benefits. Overall, the age of the relationship followed by seller’s expertise, interaction frequency and relationship benefits are the most effective relationship-building strategies across all elements of a relationship within this particular industry.This research provides both an academic contribution to the relationship marketing field as well as a practical implication for managers and executives within organisations. The main contribution for academic purposes involves both confirmation and distinctions from hypothesised relationships. The dissimilarities found in this study speak to the importance of the industry setting in which these relationships exits. Furthermore, this study suggests the integration of two bodies of literature: individual and organisational commitment. This research is of specific value to managers who are responsible for increasing relationship capital within their organisations. Simultaneous focus on these antecedents will allow managers to improve their relationship quality with the customer which would assist in retaining the customer on a long-term basis. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

xvi, 207 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / This research develops Broom, Casey and Ritchey's (1997) concept of relationship antecedents, suggesting moral obligation as a non-consequential relationship antecedent. By using Bivins's (2009) classification of moral and functional obligations, this research suggests that nonprofit managers perceive a moral obligation on the part of gaming corporations to establish relationships that can benefit the local community. Where a functional obligation would affect the corporation's ability to do business, the moral obligation is non-consequential and falls outside the parameters of the six consequential relationship antecedents identified by Grunig and Huang (2000). Business ethicists have long debated the need for corporate social responsibility, broadly defined as the idea that a corporation has a responsibility to society separate from its profit-making obligation to stockholders. This research looks at corporate social responsibility in the gaming industry in Las Vegas, examining nonprofit managers' expectations for these corporations to contribute to the local community. This study examines through qualitative interviews these managers' perceptions about the responsibility of gaming corporations to participate in and give back to the local community. This research also sheds light on Las Vegas, NV, recognized more often for its architecture and cultural zeitgeist than for the contours of its community. A background section on Las Vegas history and its development as a tourist destination provides context for an examination of the ways Las Vegas's nonprofit organizations interact with the city's dominant industry. Nonprofit managers perceive gaming corporations as under- involved in the local community; in addition, they believe the community is under- informed about these efforts, potentially leading to a low level of civic engagement. This research also examines corporate social responsibility in the context of the economic downturn that began September 2008. Because Las Vegas's economy is so heavily dependent on the gaming and tourism industries, the city provides an excellent location in which to examine how economic forces affect corporate social responsibility efforts. The significant decline in CSR from the gaming corporations, as reported by nonprofit managers. suggests an orientation to CSR that is more functional than moral. / Committee in charge: Patricia Curtin, Chairperson, Journalism and Communication; Tiffany Gallicano, Member, Journalism and Communication; Thomas Bivins, Member, Journalism and Communication; Renee Irvin, Outside Member, Planning Public Policy & Mgmt