Data breaches are becoming a growing concern causing customer data vulnerability levels to increase. Arguably, data breach vulnerabilities are more detrimental in business-to-business (B2B) rather than in business-to-consumer (B2C) settings; yet more is known about B2C than B2B. Building on social contract theory, this research explores the impact of buyer data breach vulnerability if a buyer or buyer firm's information is compromised by a major supplier. An empirical model is proposed and tested. Results from 606 B2B buyers indicate that buyer vulnerabilities reduce buyer trust, whereas it increases their level of dissatisfaction, and their intent to take protective actions and switch to another supplier. Buyer trust increases relationship commitment and brand reputation, while dissatisfaction decreases them. Trust and dissatisfaction fully mediate the relationship from vulnerability to relationship commitment and brand reputation. Loss of a buyer's (buyer’ firm) information impacts not only (supplier-) buyer-related outcomes but also (buyer-) supplier-related outcomes, indicating spillover effects. Furthermore, results indicate the moderating effects of the affected party (whose information is compromised) on the buyer- and supplier-related outcomes as well as relationship quality factors. These findings indicate that B2B data breaches can have detrimental consequences. To mitigate these negative outcomes, managers should emphasize building and sustaining relationship quality, as well as employ good privacy practices through transparent and clear policies and giving users control of their data. An appropriate communication plan to inform the victims of the data breach may also help mitigate the effects of data loss.

中文翻译：

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B2B 数据泄露是否令人担忧？买方或公司的数据丢失对买方和供应商相关结果的影响

数据泄露日益成为人们关注的焦点，导致客户数据漏洞级别不断增加。可以说，数据泄露漏洞在企业对企业 (B2B) 环境中比在企业对消费者 (B2C) 环境中危害更大；然而，人们对 B2C 的了解比对 B2B 的了解更多。本研究以社会契约理论为基础，探讨了如果买方或买方公司的信息受到主要供应商的泄露，买方数据泄露漏洞的影响。提出并测试了一个经验模型。 606 名 B2B 买家的调查结果表明，买家的漏洞会降低买家的信任度，反而会增加他们的不满程度，并增加他们采取保护措施并转向另一家供应商的意图。买家信任会增加关系承诺和品牌声誉，而不满意会降低它们。信任和不满充分调解了从脆弱性到关系承诺和品牌声誉的关系。买方（买方公司）信息的丢失不仅会影响（供应商）买方相关的结果，还会影响（买方）供应商相关的结果，这表明溢出效应。此外，结果表明受影响方（其信息受到损害）对买方和供应商相关结果以及关系质量因素的调节作用。这些发现表明 B2B 数据泄露可能会产生有害后果。为了减轻这些负面结果，管理者应强调建立和维持关系质量，并通过透明和明确的政策采用良好的隐私实践，并让用户控制其数据。向受害者通报数据泄露的适当沟通计划也可能有助于减轻数据丢失的影响。