Version 1.0, October 2026. 98 constructs in 18 families across 7 eras, with 18 imported theories below. Selecting a cell reveals its family, era, block, tier, and anchor works, each anchoring reference linking to the publisher’s page. Explore the 18 Family Deep Dives for granular sub-tables, or visit Resources to use the four interactive analytical tools.
Each cell: number, influence pips, block code, then symbol, construct, and anchor works
open frontier position
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Detached series · Theories imported from adjacent fields, each set near the families it feeds
Series
T
Imported Theories
9IP
Cb
Channel Behavior
Family
13. Channels and Governance (V · Interfirm Networks)
Era
Period 1: Foundations, to 1969
Block
IP · Implementation, process
Tier
Emerging or specialized
Cell card
Description
Stern's edited volume reframed distribution channels as interorganizational systems in which power, conflict, roles, and communication shape member behavior, founding the behavioral study of channels.
Managerial Implications
Distribution channels are social systems in which partners have their own goals, power, and sources of conflict. Managing a channel means managing relationships, not just logistics. Map who depends on whom, where interests diverge, and which conflicts are healthy. Invest in communication and role clarity with distributors and retailers before problems surface, because channel conflict rarely resolves itself in the manufacturer's favor.
How to read. Down a column follows one research stream through time. Across a row shows what the field studied in an era. Color marks the strategy domain, after Morgan et al. (2019). Pips give an influence tier. Numbers run by era, then family. Placements, anchors, and tiers are editorial judgments, and anchors are entry points rather than a complete record of any stream. Anyone who uses or adapts this table is responsible for verifying its contents against the original works.
