The industrial exporter-distributor trade relationship - A portrayal of the development path derived from diverging agendas
Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Marketing activities through the use of distributors is a common means for exporters to reach markets.However, research is limited concerning; 1) development of the exporter-distributor relationship, 2) implications of multiple partners on the actors within the dyadic relationship, 3) a distributor perspective of the relationship and 4) the deterioration of the relationship.This study portrays the development between exporters and distributors and accounts for developments in terms of offering to market among the dual partners and how these can negatively affect existing relationships.The purpose of the study results in questioning; How do strategic actions that affect market offerings contribute to the deterioration of industrial exporter-distributor trade relationships?A review of exporter-distributor literature, transaction cost theory, strategic alliance literature and business network theory has been performed.The latter three theoretical perspectives have been chosen as they portray diverging perspectives on inter-organizational interaction and partly add to an increased understanding of deterioration, although the theoretical perspectives on an overall basis do not emphasize inter-organizational deterioration.A multiple case study was conducted including an exporting firm and four of its distributors in the Middle East.Comparisons are made regarding the exporter's and the distributors' strategic trajectories in terms of the relational developments between the exporters and distributors and their offerings to market.Thereafter an alternate analysis approach is portrayed, emphasizing different features of the relationship together with the related theory, leading to the concluding remarks where the findings in the analysis are amalgamated to enhance understanding of exporter-distributor relationship deterioration.The main contribution of the study is that it increases the understanding for why the exporterdistributor relationship can deteriorate as a consequence of changes to market offering that acts as a distortion to the context when the partners engaged in a relationship.The study also portrays a dyadic view on the relationship, enhancing understanding to the limited insights of exporterdistributor relationships portrayed from a distributor perspective.
Author: Johan Jakobsson
Language: English
Subfield: Marketing
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1252539859