About the Book

Distribution channels are the most complex element of the marketing mix to fully grasp and to profitably manage. In this Handbook the authors present cutting-edge research on channel management and design from analytical, conceptual, and empirical perspectives.

The ultimate objective of this Handbook is a comprehensive theory of distribution channels for scholars presented in enlightened surveys of the literature to tightly reasoned investigations. Channel management topics include value creation, interorganizational knowledge transfer, contract design, governance and control, and relationship management. Channel design topics encompass coordination, supply-chain management, price vs. quantity competition, channel breadth, franchising, resale price maintenance, and bricks-and-mortar vs. online retailer competition. The book concludes with a sketch of a ''Comprehensive Theory of Distribution Channels'' meant to incorporate and extend current thinking.

The breadth of this Handbook makes it appropriate for use in a doctoral course on distribution channels, or as a knowledge-broadening resource for faculty and researchers who wish to understand types of channels research that are outside the scope of their own approach to distribution.

Contributors include: K.D. Antia, B.L. Baker, P. Bicen, C.P. Blocker, J.R. Brown, G. Cai, N.N. Chau, S.C. Choi, J.L. Crosno, T.H. Cui, Y. Dai, R.P. Dant, R. Desiraju, K. Eshghi, D.J. Flint, K.M. Frias, M. Ghosh, S. Gilbert, G.T. Gundlach, C.M. Harmeling, J.D. Hibbard, M.B. Houston, C.A. Ingene, K. Jerath, G. John, J. Johnson, M. Kacker, G. Lai, Z. Li, R.F. Lusch, P. Mallucci, A.J. Malter, S. Mani, A.L. Matthews, R.W. Palmatier, S.-J. Park, R.E. Paul, J. Raju, S. Ray, F. Sadeh, R.S. Sohi, J.M. Song, R. Staelin, A.S. Vinhas, M. Viswanathan, K.H. Wathne, S.K. Weaven, X. Xu, W. Zhang, Z.J. Zhang, Y. Zhao

Table of Contents:
Contents: Preface Charles A. Ingene and James R. Brown 1. Introduction James R. Brown and Charles A. Ingene Part I Location In A Value Chain: Conceptual And Analytical Perspectives 2. Choosing Value-Chain Locations In Marketing Channels: Integrating Service-Dominant Logic And Product-Form Strategy Perspectives Mrinal Ghosh, Kellilynn M. Frias and Robert F. Lusch 3. Optimal Channel Structure Of A Proprietary Component Manufacturer: The Impact Of Price- Versus Quantity-Competition Ngan N. Chau and Ramarao Desiraju 4. Platform Retailing: From Offline “Stores Within A Store” To Online “Marketplaces” Kinshuk Jerath and Z. John Zhang Part II Organizational Control, Learning And Conflict 5. Organizational Control In Marketing Channels: A Meta-Analytic Review James R. Brown and Jody L. Crosno 6. Organizational Learning And Inter-Organizational Knowledge Transfer Ravipreet S. Sohi and A. Lynn Matthews 7. Managing Channel Conflict: Insights From The Current Literature Kamran Eshghi and Sourav Ray Part III Analytical Approaches To Multi-Channel Research 8. Modeling Multichannel Supply Chain Management With Marketing Mixes: A Survey Gangshu (George) Cai, Yue Dai and Wenzhu Zhang 9. Information Management And Contract Design Under Supplier Encroachment Zhuoxin Li, Stephen Gilbert and Guoming Lai Part IV Modelling Channel Coordination 10. Models Of Channel Coordination S. Chan Choi, Ju Myung Song, Xiaowei Xu and Yao Zhao 11. Interpretation Of Product Differentiation In Linear Demand Functions Sang-June Park and Richard Staelin 12. Social Preferences And Distribution Channels Tony Haitao Cui, Paola Mallucci, Jagmohan Raju and Z. John Zhang Part V Channel Relationships 13. Relationship Dynamics: Understanding Continuous And Discontinuous Relationship Change Colleen M. Harmeling and Robert W. Palmatier 14. Business Buyers Are People Too: Phenomenology And Symbolic Interaction In Buyer Relationships Mark B. Houston, Christopher P. Blocker and Daniel J. Flint 15. Performance Impact Of Distribution Expansion: A Review And Research Agenda Jonathan D. Hibbard, Manish Kacker & Farhad Sadeh Part VI Conceptual Approaches To Channel Design And Governance 16. A Transaction Cost Approach To Channel Design With Application To Multi-Channels Settings George John, Madhu Viswanathan and Mrinal Ghosh 17. Trust-Based Hybrid Governance In Geographical Indication Supply Chains Alan J. Malter and Pelin Bicen 18. Resale Price Maintenance After Leegin: Marketing Literatures For Future Research Gregory T. Gundlach and Rachel E. Paul Part VII Conceptual Approaches To Multi-Channel Research 19. Design And Management Of Multi-Channel Distribution In B2b Environments Alberto Sa Vinhas & Jean Johnson 20. Franchising Research In Marketing: Suggestions For Future Research Sudha Mani, Kenneth H. Wathne and Kersi D. Antia 21. An Empirical Examination Of The Dark Side Of Relationship Marketing Within A Business-To-Business Context Brent L. Baker, Rajiv P. Dant and Scott K. Weaven Part VIII Conceptualizing Distribution Channels 22. Putting It All Together: A Conceptual Framework For Integrating Distribution Channels Research James R. Brown and Charles A. Ingene 23. Conceptualizing A Comprehensive Theory Of Distribution Channels Charles A. Ingene and James R. Brown Postscript “A Gentle Giant: He Was Taken From Us Too Young, Too Early” James R. Brown and Charles A. Inge Index