Column 13 · Channels and Governance · Era 1, Foundations (to 1969)
Channel Behavior
Implementation, process · Emerging or specialized · Cluster V, Interfirm Networks
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.