The value of congruence in social exchanges: A dyadic trust perspective on servitization

Although scholars have repeatedly emphasized trust as a key driver of manufacturers' servitization, the literature still lacks clarity regarding how dyadic trust (congruence vs. incongruence) and its types (high–high vs. low-low) may shape servitization. To fill the gaps, we propose a theoretical model based on the social exchange theory (SET) and examine it based on a sample of Chinese manufacturing firms. Employing polynomial regression with response surface analysis, we find the dark side of unilateral trust and the bright side of a trust-less relationship in servitization. Specifically, rather than unilateral trust from the manufacturer or its customers, congruent trust, regardless of trust levels, proves more predictive of successful product-oriented and customer-oriented servitization. Furthermore, concerning congruence types, we found that congruence at higher levels of trust (high-high) fosters customer-oriented servitization more effectively than low-low trust congruence. However, such a difference is not significant for product-oriented servitization. Additionally, the results indicate that the link between trust congruence and servitization is positively moderated by cultural congruence. Overall, we contribute to the SET and servitization literature by emphasizing the value of congruent trust in facilitating repeated social interactions between manufacturers and buyers in servitization. In addition, the findings provide valuable managerial insights for facilitating servitization.