The domain of interest, while investigating inter-organizational relationsh
ips, has been the boundary function of marketing and purchasing. Understand
ing the effect of proper cultural orientation of the critical value creatin
g functions within the organizational on the successful implementation of r
elationship marketing strategy often encounter skepticism within the organi
zation from the functional managers. In pursuing a relationship paradigm, t
he old ways of adversarial exchanges need to give way to the new way of doi
ng business that is built on trust and commitment. The functional departmen
ts need to believe in relationships as a way of doing business. This resear
ch explores the impact of the internal attitude towards relationship paradi
gm on relationship strategy implementation and argue that functional manage
rs need to buy into the relationship paradigm in order for relationship str
ategy to work. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.