Managing Channel Partner Relationships: A Cross-National Study

With cross-border channel partnerships increasingly being forged in global markets, manifest conflict between international partners has become a serious problem leading to potentially deleterious effects on overall channel performance. Using data drawn from a cross-national study of distribution practices in three countries, we investigate whether national culture moderates the relationship between leadership style and channel partner conflict, which, in turn, may impact overall channel performance. Based on the empirical results, a standardized “one size fits all” leadership strategy for conflict management in international channels is unlikely to be successful. Cross-cultural channel management implications are discussed, study limitations are described, avenues for future research are identified, and recommendations are offered for managing cross-national channel partner relationships.     

Impact of Leadership Style on Channel Partner Motivation

Abstract

While channel decision makers can expend considerable effort in designing efficient and effective distribution channel systems to serve their target markets, success in achieving the firm's distribution objectives may not be realized without implementing a systematic program for motivating distribution channel partners. This places a premium on the identification and use of effective channel strategies for motivating channel partners as well as the capacity of the channel captain to provide leadership as a means of attaining a differential advantage. Thus, channel leadership style has become a critical issue in the administration of distribution channels. Despite the importance of motivating channel partners, there is a paucity of research on this construct. To augment the existing knowledge on channel partner motivation-a fundamental area of interorganizational management-this study empirically examined the influence of participative, supportive, and directive leadership styles on channel partner motivation. Moreover, the relationship between channel partner motivation and channel partner performance is also investigated.

The linkages among the constructs were empirically tested on data drawn from a sample of distributive institutions for new automobiles. The findings from this investigation indicate that participative, supportive and directive leadership styles are statistically significant predictors of channel partner motivation, which, in turn, is a determinant of channel partner performance. Distribution channel management implications are discussed, the limitations of the study are identified, and directions for future research are proffered.     

网络营销环境下多渠道冲突的成因

随着电子营销渠道的建立,网络营销环境下的多渠道冲突日趋加剧。以新的视角,从渠道权力配置的变化、利益之争和制造企业的渠道管理水平等方面对网络营销环境下多渠道冲突的成因进行探讨,以期为制造企业在新环境下进行有效的多渠道冲突管理提供理论参考。     

电子商务对营销渠道管理的影响

通过对近些年来学术界关于电子商务对营销渠道影响相关文献的总结,本文评述了电子商务在营销渠道设计、营销渠道成员选择和管理、营销渠道评价等方面的影响:在营销渠道设计方面,学者们的研究集中在电子商务作为一种新的营销渠道的特性,与这一个新的渠道和旧渠道之间的关系等方向;在营销渠道成员选择和管理方面,相关研究主要集中在渠道冲突管理上;营销渠道评价方面的研究主要是为新的渠道设计新的绩效评价体系。因此,未来的相关研究应该集中在电子营销渠道和传统营销渠道的协同和替代作用,不同国家、不同经济水平和文化氛围对于渠道间关系的影响,以及多种渠道下企业营销策略研究等方面。     

A Comparative Analysis of the Differences in Power and Conflict Issues Between Domestic and International Distribution Channels

Although several behavioral issues dominate the current marketing channel literature, research falls short in explaining the differences in domestic and international channel behavior within the same country context. The purpose of this study is to compare the power and conflict perceptions of international and domestic distributors that operate within the same country. The household appliances sector in Turkey has been studied for the comparison. The results did not indicate any differences in power and conflict issues of domestic and international distribution channels. The study suggests that the dominant culture of a country may influence channel relationships irrespective of the origin of manufacturers.     

Looking Back to Move Forward: A Review of the Evolution of Research in International Marketing Channels

Over the past fifty years, the scope of research on international marketing channels has significantly evolved. From an early focus on factors influencing the expansion of marketing channels internationally, the literature now investigates a myriad of topics related to the challenges of selecting channel structures and managing channel relationships. This article investigates the evolution of international marketing channels research by reviewing 353 international channels-related articles published from 1965 to 2014 under a periodization approach. The assessment of the state and evolution of the literature is used as a foundation for the identification of emerging themes that will move the field of international marketing channels forward.     

Work–family conflict in the sales force redux: A compendium of influencers

Abstract

Selling is a primary function of channels of distribution with sales managers and salespeople markedly influencing channel success. Recently, salesperson work–family conflict has become a major concern, owing to its potential for adversely affecting sales force performance and thus impairing associated channel success. It has been extensively investigated in industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology, but sales scholars’ interest in it remains in the incipient stage. Whether findings from non-sales contexts are portable to a selling milieu remains an empirical question. This article presents an array of organizational- and managerial-related, individual job-related, individual person-related, technology-related, and contemporary selling environment-related factors that have been found to be or are logically associated with salesperson work–family conflict. The article thus seeks to facilitate sales researchers’ and practitioners’ efforts in undertaking empirical work and assisting salespeople to manage such conflict. To date, no previously published work has engaged in this charge.     

从国际比较看我国消费品流通渠道的优化

通过对中国、美国和日本流通渠道的国际比较发现,美国流通渠道以零售商为主导,并以扁平化为特点,日本流通渠道实现了以制造商为主导的纵向一体化,而我国流通渠道尚未与工业化大生产的分销需求相匹配。因此,我国需要遵循流通渠道的演变规律,根据生产发展适时调整渠道结构,顺应消费升级趋势创新流通渠道,维护公平环境构建和谐渠道关系,应用新型技术手段提升渠道效率,从培育批发商主导模式、零售商主导模式和生产企业主导模式三条路径入手,优化我国消费品流通渠道。     

How to Attain Desired Outcomes Through Channel Conflict Negotiation

Channel relationships are dynamic and complex. Though much of channel literature has dealt with power, dependency, and conflict resolution, relatively little research focuses on how channel members apply different modes of negotiation to resolve channel conflicts and, most important, how they finagle their ways through different stages of negotiation to obtain desirable outcomes. This article suggests that in deciding which strategy to adopt to effectively negotiate with others, channel members should take into account two vital outcomes during the negotiation process: substantive gain and relationship outcome. Integrating high versus low levels for each of these two types of outcomes, this study develops a framework for channel conflict negotiation in an international setting and recommends appropriate negotiation strategies for various scenarios and phases of negotiation.     

Consumer response to marketing channels: A demand-based approach

Abstract

Marketing channels have faced rapid structural and functional transformations during the last few decades. While a large body of research has been devoted to understanding the supply-side aspects of marketing channels, much less research has taken the demand-side perspective to study consumer perception of channel position and functions. This article extends the channel literature to a broader domain and develops a consumer-based theoretical framework reflecting factors that influence consumer perception of and reaction to channel strategies and decisions. The authors conceptualize that consumers’ perceived channel value is a critical factor in determining their loyalty behavior. Seven important channel features are identified that would positively influence the perceived channel value. The relationship between perceived channel value and channel preference is strongly dependent on the level of customer value co-creation. The article concludes with research implications and suggestions of avenues for future research.     

制造商渠道多元化与跨渠道冲突：企业规模和跨渠道整合的调节作用

互联网技术和电子商务的发展为企业采用多渠道销售产品提供了有力的支持。采用不同类型的渠道销售产品成为企业塑造竞争力的重要途径,但同时也对企业对多渠道进行管理带来了挑战。文章基于多渠道相关研究,探讨企业渠道多元化对跨渠道冲突的影响,以及企业规模、跨渠道整合对上述关系的调节效应。以185家制造企业为对象,通过问卷调查收集数据,运用多元层次回归对研究假设进行检验。研究结果表明,企业的渠道多元化会激化跨渠道冲突;企业规模正向调节渠道多元化与跨渠道冲突之间的关系;跨渠道整合负向调节渠道多元化与跨渠道冲突之间的关系。     

营销渠道冲突的认识与控制

在渠道管理中,冲突历来是渠道管理者十分关注的一个重要方面。如何认识、分析、控制冲突是管理者比较头疼的问题。由此从渠道冲突的概念和分类出发,揭示渠道冲突产生的原因和主要控制方式,并对一个普遍存在的冲突现象,即窜货问题进行较为深入的探讨,对引导企业理解和管理冲突有很强的现实意义。     

International Business Versus International Management? International Strategic Management from the View of point of Internalisation Theory

This article examines the theoretical bases of both international management and the internalisation approach to international business. Similarities include: attention to the ‘make or buy’ decision, interaction between locational and organisational variables and attention to internal control mechanisms. International management pays particular attention to the specific constraints on the firm's strategy arising from its history, dominant culture and leadership and to the process of management. The two approaches are used to analyse a single problem: the management of research and development, and it is found that important differences in emphasis remain. The approaches contrast but do not conflict.     

我国轿车业渠道问题探讨

本文认为,我国轿车业渠道模式主要有品牌专营店、集约式汽车交易市场、汽车工业园区、汽车连锁销售、网络销售等。我国的汽车流通渠道体制还存在工商关系不稳定、汽车经销商功能不健全、汽车流通企业的流通功能模糊、未实施严格的区域责任制、旧车市场发育不全、汽车租赁市场有待完善等问题。文章提出,要解决这些问题,轿车企业应该正确设计轿车分销渠道,制定渠道政策,激励经销商,化解渠道冲突;与政府共同努力,借鉴国际经验,建立以私人用车为主的现代化汽车营销体系,明确批发商和零售店功能,建立目标区域负责制,增加旧车交易功能,扶持汽车租赁业。     

National advertising,dual-channel coordination and firm performance

With the rapid development of e-commerce, many manufacturers nowadays opt to open an online channel to engage in direct online sales. The mix of retailing with an online channel adds a new dimension of competition and complementarity to a product's distribution channels. Our model focuses on the strategic effect of the manufacturer's national advertising on alleviating the channel competition. We use a game-theoretical model to show that opening an online channel with the added national advertising effectively alleviates the channel conflict and thus helps improve the whole channel and each channel member performance. Depending on the different product categories and the degree of channel substitutability, the manufacturer's investment in the national advertising also will be different. The value of national advertising increases as product is more compatible with online sales and channel substitutability increases.     

电子商务环境下新型渠道冲突的管理

电子商务给企业带来更多的市场机会和更高的效率,为企业节约交易成本,同时也与企业原有的分销渠道产生了冲突。本文在分析传统渠道和电子商务渠道的基础上,阐述了企业实行电子商务所引发的渠道冲突并提出了相应的管理策略。     

中国海外上市中小企业国际竞争力因素分析

在世界化经济时代,居于国民经济核心地位的中小企业的积极作用越来越得到重视,加强国民经济和中小企业的国际竞争力成为一种时代的要求.尤其是近些年来,我国中小企业海外上市愈演愈烈,这些企业在本地区或本行业的中小企业中处于领导者地位并极具发展潜力,它们的国际竞争力的变化会对其他中小企业起到示范作用,从而间接作用于我国国民经济的发展.因此,对于海外上市中小企业国际竞争力的研究具有重要意义.文章从企业国际竞争力的现状出发,着重对中国海外上市中小企业国际竞争力的影响因素进行分析并借此提出发展我国中小企业国际竞争力的一些对策.     

Understanding IJV performance in a learning and conflict mediated context

Determinants of international joint venture (IJV) performance are examined within the context of cross-border learning. Using a structural equation model, we test the multifaceted interactions among strategic goal congruency, national culture differences, learning and conflict. Cross-border learning is recognized as a kernel variable which is influenced by matching strategic motives, national culture differences, and conflicting relations, and which affects the performance of IJVs. In particular, we hypothesize that interpartner goal congruency and national culture differences have an indirect effect on IJV performance through cross-border learning and conflict; previous studies established their direct relationship. The test results show that congruent strategic motives and cultural similarity had a positive effect on cross-border learning, which was reinforced by learning capacity, and which in turn led to better performance. Conflicting relations between partners and heterogeneous cultural backgrounds were shown to discourage cross-border learning.     

Gender,fashion consumer group,need for touch and Korean apparel consumers' shopping channel preference

Shopping preferences are affected by the culture in which an individual grows up as well as by individual differences in consumers such as differences in gender, fashion leadership and need for touch. The current study examined the influence of consumers' need for touch and fashion leadership on preference for shopping outlets (e.g. touch and non‐touch shopping channels) between genders and within a particular culture. The purpose of this study was to examine gender, fashion consumer group, need for touch and Korean apparel consumers' shopping channel preference. Participants were a convenience sample of 262 Korean college students who were recruited in Changwon, South Korea. A questionnaire was compiled that included a request for demographic information, the Need For Touch scale, the Measure of Fashion Innovativeness and Opinion Leadership, and items assessing preference for touch and non‐touch shopping channels for clothing. Women and men did not differ in overall need for touch or instrumental need for touch. Fashion change agents and fashion followers did not differ in their preference for touch and non‐touch shopping channels. Preference for touch shopping channels was more greatly affected by variables such as need for touch, gender, and fashion innovativeness and opinion leadership than preference for non‐touch shopping channels. Preference for non‐touch shopping channels was virtually unaffected by the variables examined in the current study. Implications for theory and research are provided.