In today's fiercely competitive landscape, mastering channel management is crucial for organizational growth. "The Channel Conundrum" emerges as an indispensable guide, delving into the complexities of effective channel management. This comprehensive volume seamlessly blends theoretical insights with real-world case studies and actionable strategies, equipping readers with the tools to navigate the intricate web of distribution channels. The book commences by introducing fundamental concepts and the significance of channel management. It explores key components of channel strategy development, including market segmentation, partner selection, and performance measurement. Subsequent chapters delve into the art of developing robust channel partner programs, offering insights into aligning programs with business objectives, creating structured partner tiers, and fostering collaborative relationships. A key strength of "The Channel Conundrum" lies in its pragmatic approach to navigating channel conflicts. It provides a comprehensive framework for understanding conflict root causes and proven resolution strategies. The book explores managing power dynamics, aligning incentives, and fostering trust among channel partners. In an era of rapid technological change, the book takes a forward-looking approach, exploring digital technologies' transformative impact on channel management. It equips readers with the knowledge to leverage distribution channels as strategic assets for growth and competitive advantage, making it an invaluable resource for practitioners, executives, and scholars alike.

Seminar paper from the year 2001 in the subject Business economics - Offline Marketing and Online Marketing, grade: very good, Maastricht University (Faculty of Economic and Business Administration (FdEWB)), language: English, abstract: “Electronic commerce is an emerging concept that describes the process of buying and selling or exchanging of products, services, and information via computer networks including Internet.”(Turban, Lee, King and Chung, 2000). Electronic commerce, or short e-commerce, promised many benefits and golden opportunities often described by terms like business-tobusiness (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C). Those terms are now often used in commercials and advertisements. After only a short while new terminology was invented to describe the new opportunities of e-commerce. The old terms lost their impressiveness much too fast. Venture capital was readily available to finance business models described by peer-to peer (P2P) and consumer-to-business (C2B). The online world but also their financial partners found themselves in the middle of hype. One of the great effects predicted was an effect named disintermediation. This term describes according to Chaffey, Mayer, Johnston and Ellis-Chadwick (2000) the removal of intermediaries. The former linkages between customers and companies like brokers or distributors are replaced by the electronic channel. The picture some dot.com entrepreneurs painted was one of a world without travel agencies, toyshops, electronic retailers and other intermediaries. Disintermediation caused some mid-sized channe l relationship earthquakes after a rebellion from the intermediaries. Resellers of the Apple's I-Mac gave Steve Jobs at a presentation in Paris, Europe a hard stand. Mr. Case was there to inform retailers about Appel's newest PC model. His announcement, that the I-Mac will be exclusively available via the Internet for an introduction period of four weeks, created whistle blowing and tumults among the resellers. The upset intermediaries feared that this four weeks were just a try out for their uncertain future (Stein, 2000). It comes at no surprise that intermediaries rebelled as companies tried to shortcut them with the help of electronic commerce. Another example of disintermediation is Steven King, who tried to sell a new book via the Internet. He put the first chapters online for free and would only write further chapters if most people would pay him. The project called 'The Plant" ended not successfully. Stephen King discontinued his trial because the percentage of paying customers dropped with every chapter (Der Spiegel, 2000). [...]

Today, most firms employ online and offline distribution channels. Customers combine both channels for information search and purchase. However, researchers and practitioners are still lacking insight concerning the creation of additional customer value, in terms of a seamless purchase experience, by combining the online and offline channels. Also, it is unclear if these channel integration activities can actually help multichannel firms obtain a strategic advantage over their online pureplay competitors. Jochen Binder investigates how, why, and to what extent an integrated online channel increases customer value and leads to higher willingness to pay, customer loyalty and purchase intention in a firm's online and offline stores.

The world of retailing has changed dramatically in the past decade. Sales originating at online channels have been steadily increasing, and even for sales transacted at brick-and-mortar channels, a much larger fraction of sales is affected by online channels in different touch points during the customer journey. Shopper behavior and expectations have been evolving along with the growth of digital channels, challenging retailers to redesign their fulfillment and execution processes, to better serve their customers. This edited book examines the challenges and opportunities arising from the shift towards omni- channel retail. We examine these issues through the lenses of operations management, emphasizing the supply chain transformations associated with fulfilling an omni-channel demand. The book is divided into three parts. In the first part, “Omni-channel business models”, we present four studies that explore how retailers are adjusting their fundamental business models to the new omni-channel landscape. The second part, “Data-driven decisions in an omni-channel world”, includes five chapters that study the evolving data opportunities enabled by omni-channel retail and present specific examples of data-driven analyses. Finally, in the third part, “Case studies in Omni-channel retailing”, we include four studies that provide a deep dive into how specific industries, companies and markets are navigating the omni-channel world. Ultimately, this book introduces the reader to the fundamentals of operations in an omni-channel context and highlights the different innovative research ideas on the topic using a variety of methodologies.

This book examines issues and implications of digital and social media marketing for emerging markets. These markets necessitate substantial adaptations of developed theories and approaches employed in the Western world. The book investigates problems specific to emerging markets, while identifying new theoretical constructs and practical applications of digital marketing. It addresses topics such as electronic word of mouth (eWOM), demographic differences in digital marketing, mobile marketing, search engine advertising, among others. A radical increase in both temporal and geographical reach is empowering consumers to exert influence on brands, products, and services. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and digital media are having a significant impact on the way people communicate and fulfil their socio-economic, emotional and material needs. These technologies are also being harnessed by businesses for various purposes including distribution and selling of goods, retailing of consumer services, customer relationship management, and influencing consumer behaviour by employing digital marketing practices. This book considers this, as it examines the practice and research related to digital and social media marketing.

The number of Internet users is doubling every year, and will soon total more than 100 million people. This group will constitute an enormous and attractive market segment, one with exceptional buying power and demonstrated acceptance of new products and new technologies. However, many people use this new medium primarily for social dialog, which gives the Internet a dual role and a unique character that is unlike any medium or marketplace that has existed before. As it matures, therefore, the Internet poses unique challenges to old ways of ding business even as it promises to have enduring impact on the way that business is conducted worldwide. This report surveys the Internet phenomenon as an important topic for corporate strategy, and offers valuable insights into: • Its growth • Its technical foundations • The new market segments it creates • Its promising opportunities, and • Its development over the long term. “An excellent wake-up call to any company that doesn’t appreciate or hasn’t planned for the impact of the internet on electronic commerce and business communication.” Ron Maheu Chairperson, National High Tech Group Coopers & Lybrand “An excellent and comprehensive treatment of this very dynamic and evolving component of one of our new market opportunities. I have recommended it to key executives at Pacific Bell and SBC.” Armando R. Marquez Former Director, Strategic Workforce Planning Southwestern Bell “An impressive analysis. A work of substance and balance.” Benjamin Compaine Senior Research Professor Pennsylvania State University “A visionary document.” Thomas McGann Former NYNEX Executive “Way out ahead of a lot of the thinking on the Net.” Benjamin Fuller Daimler-Benz Society and Technology Laboratory “We like The Knowledge Channel. It has been command reading for a number of our people.” Peter Osgood Osgood O’Donnell & Walsh “A fundamental treatment of the present and future impact of information technology dynamics on established markets, and the need for business executives to pursue and embrace IT thinking into their strategic planning. Your clear understanding and treatment of the movement toward differentiation markets and your long-term view of how the Internet will foster the shift of power to customers is brilliant.” Paul De Baldo President Corporate Strategic Partners