E‐reverse auction design: critical variables in a B2B context

Purpose – This paper attempts to provide an empirical cross‐industrial study on critical success factors impacting on “price” and “process” performance in business‐to‐business (B2B) e‐reverse auction design. Design/methodology/approach – Based on an online survey to a panel of academic experts and practitioners, the paper presents the empirical validation of a previous conceptual model using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) approach. Findings – Results demonstrate that a multi facet construct consisting of six main dimensions impacts on e‐auction performance. Moreover, these dimensions differently impact on price and process performance. Research limitations/implications – Because of the complexity of the framework, the sample size and the qualitative nature of experts' observations, results should be seen as more indicative than conclusive and therefore generalization should be additionally tested. Practical implications – Findings provide useful information for the formulation of managerial decisions in designing the auction event/process and supporting the definition of different negotiation strategies. Originality/value – This article is a first attempt to test a conceptual framework on critical factors impacting on e‐reverse auction performance in a B2B context. A lot of conceptual papers try to systematize the numerous variables affecting e‐auction success and their complex relationships into a single comprehensive framework; nevertheless there is a lack of empirical evidence supporting these models especially in the B2B context.