Communication capability and attitudes toward external communication of purchasing managers in Germany

Purpose – Management approaches, such as supply chain management addressing cooperation among firms emphasize communication among people from different companies. The objective of this research was to investigate the impact of individual and contextual factors on the external communication behavior of purchasing managers in Germany. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the literature, oral and written communication capabilities, purchasers' attitudes and the internal communication climate were identified as potential impact factors. A structural equation model containing 11 constructs was designed. Six hundred and seventeen responses were available for statistical analysis. Findings – Summing up the results, oral communication capability and purchasers' attitudes toward individual communication with the suppliers play important roles in explaining external communication behavior of purchasers. Regarding indirect effects, there are strong total effects of the oral communication capability and the attitudes on the supplier management success as well as satisfaction. Research limitations/implications – Several measures were operationalized using two‐item or three‐item scales. Future research should focus on the development of more comprehensive scales. Practical implications – Various conclusions from the results were drawn. Particularly, there are important managerial impacts on supply management and human resource management. Originality/value – The paper provides the first scientific insight into the relationships between oral communication capability, attitudes toward communication, communication behavior and managerial performance in the field of supply management.