Forms of competition and outcomes in dual distribution channels: The distributor’s perspective

Abstract

The focus of this paper is dual distribution channels in business-to-business markets. We take the perspective of the distributor, and examine how different forms of competition with a manufacturer-owned channel impact distributor opportunism. Next, we consider how the same forms of competition impact the distributor’s end customers. Based on a multi-industry field study of industrial distributors, we highlight the complex processes that characterize dual distribution systems. We show that while competition with a manufacturer-owned channel increases distributor opportunism, it also has the potential to benefit the distributor’s end customers. In addition, although actions taken by a manufac..