READING LIST – Note that this is a ‘live document’, I may mention and add other materials according

to areas you bring up in the sessions.

Session 1 – Introduction to marketing channels

For this session you must – either read the chapter on marketing channels in any basic marketing
book or watch the webcast at the following website. The webcast provides the basic information
and definitions that we shall not be reviewing in the module but you will need to be aware of.

Professor Alkhilesh: Marketing functions: Channels of Distribution

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnZOxS0B_hU

This is also a useful way of approaching the module. The article is old - but many of the core
concepts we shall be using arise from this era. Also useful as an introduction, if dated, is the
following article:
Cespedes, Frank V. (1988) Channel management is general management, California Management
Review, 31, 1, 98-120.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=edf334b5-8746-4149-8600-
aab90eec4e75%40sessionmgr110&vid=0&hid=102&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN
=4762299&db=buh

Session 2 – Understanding channel needs by starting with

the shopper
Essential Reading: Coughlan, A et al (2006) Segmentation for marketing channel design: Service
outputs.

(Chapter Two in Coughlan et al. Marketing Channels Seventh Edition – available from the library as
an e-book).
Recommended browsing: One resource I have found interesting is the Coca-Cola Retailing Research
Council. Here they give access to research about shoppers that is well targeted to practical
application. Recent reports that give great insight include one on Convenience stores (this challenges
what we think convenience means) and also one on ‘Untangling the social web’. This last report
looks at how different people interact with the web influences their use of IT in their ‘shopping
paths’ (eg see appendix on social networking personas) – all this could be well related to the
coughlan SOD chart
So, visit www.ccrrc.org

Recommended on the topic of shopper marketing – for an overview and research base:
Venkatesh Shankar, J. Jeffrey Inman, Murali Mantrala, Eileen Kelley, Ross Rizley (2011) Journal of
Retailing, 87, 29-42. Innovations in Shopper Marketing: Current Insights and Future Research Issues,
This is quite research based and includes quite a bit on the 'science' of shopping. Journal of Retailing,
87, 29-42.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022435911000364

Only if shopper marketing might be a career for you perhaps before an interview you should also
look at this book, available from the library :
Grewal, D., Roggeveen, A. and Nordfalt, J (2014) Shopper Marketing and the Role of In-store
marketing, Emerald: Bingley

Optional reading if you’re interested - I mentioned in class how the web has hugely transformed the
allocation of functions in many channels. None more so than travel, I think – so we looked briefly at
how you would go about booking a class trip to Dublin. This article challenges the 'disintermediation
hypothesis' and you may find the channel representations in it interesting (It may help you think of
ways to draw pictures that help your coursework). Of course, it is now a bit dated.
Kracht, John; Wang, Youcheng. (2010) Examining the tourism distribution channel: evolution and
transformetion - International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 22. 5 (2010): 736-
757.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/612886418?accountid=11979

Optional browsing – worth looking at if your assignment product has a large element of internet
retail (or is a digital product) - The Long Tail
I probably wont have mentioned this in class - but the long tail describes the way that marketers can
create and market increasingly niched products due to the web. So, Netflix can offer many films that
only a few people want to see - these would not have been marketable via store based distribution
or cinemas. The long tail is now a well known phenomenon and I would expect students to
understand what it means before going for job interviews. So, if you are working with a product with
a big internet element - check out Chris Anderson's website - or read the Long Tail book (is in the
library) if you are really interested.
http://www.longtail.com/the_long_tail/
Optional listening - If you like the idea of the Long Tail – you may also be interested in Chris
Anderson’s next big idea “For Free” which looks at the idea that now we want many things for free
(think films, newspapers and music), and at how products can be monetised – so, again, this is just
optional but you may be interested in this radio programme – in Business, 8th Jan 2009:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/inbusiness/inbusiness_20090108.shtml

Session Three – Tesco Trip

No readings but see films according to your interests - Supermarket Secrets – viewing one is highly
recommended) and Peston’s History of Shopping (Just optional and for those who like films).

Session Four – Channel Environments, Structures and

Working with a Channel Customer
Compulsory Reading: Chapter 2 Rangan and Bell – this reading was distributed in class.

Recommended Reading: Cox, Andrew W. (2003) Supply Chains, Markets and Power: Mapping
Buyer and Supplier Power Regimes, Routledge Studies in Business Organization and Networks, New
York Taylor & Francis, 2003 – e-book.
As highlighted in class this is a collection of ‘cases’, you may wish to read one or more and the
introduction. They are now rather dated but the key learning is to consider what sort of factors Cox
takes into account in tracking power regimes in Marketing Channels (though he sees these as supply
chains).

Recommended Listening:
Also a Radio programme - you might listen to this archived programme. Scroll down the page till you
get to the Tesco edition from 14th November 2014.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/r4report
The programme is about the recent Tesco accounting scandal. For a long time Tesco and other
supermarkets had been seen as being unfair to suppliers – but the accounting scandal gave some
suppliers the courage to talk about tesco trading terms. The scandal arose from the way Tesco
accounted for payments from suppliers. So, this programme is mostly about the relationships
between brands, other suppliers and Tesco (perhaps also others to differing extents).
When listening to it be sure to list down required of (or asked for from) their suppliers. It will put you
in a good position with material for exams or activities in class.

All readings below are completely voluntary and intended especially for those specifically
interested in category management (perhaps wanting to deploy this in careers).
The following all relate to category management and are of varying merit, so I include some
comments to let you see whether you want to look at them or not ....

Dhar et al (2001) Effective category management depends on the role of the category, J of Retailing,
77, 2, 165-184
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022435901000458
This is a dated article, but is quite useful on the links between the category type and particular
promotional activity.

Bandopadhyay et al (2009) Developing a framework to improve retail category management through

category captain arrangements, J of retailing and consumer services. (Looks at competition effects –
something we will come back to).

Azimont and Araujo (2007) Category reviews as market-shaping events, Industrial Marketing
Management, 36, 7 (more ‘philosophic’/critical, on how categories are defined).
Agrawal et al (2009) Retail supply chain management, Springer (electronic resource available via the
library – just see chapters on category captainship and assortment planning)

Hubner (2010) Retail category management, Springer (electronic resource)

Dhar et al (2001) Effective category management depends on the role of the category, J of Retailing,
77, 2, 165-184 (good on linking category type to type of promotional activity).

Bandopadhyay et al (2009) Developing a framework to improve retail category management through

category captain arrangements, J of Retailing and Consumer Services. 16, 4, 315-19.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698908000659
This article has the advantage of being brief – and a quick read. It looks particularly at competition
(eg between retailer and brand owner). So, this is quite useful as we build up the theme of
competition. I am not sure that Cat Management would now be so widely seen as a great solution,
though.

Azimont and Araujo (2007) Category reviews as market-shaping events, Industrial Marketing
Management, 36, 7
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019850107000788
This paper is more philosophical, speaking particularly to the ‘market making’ agenda that Katy
Mason and others of us in the department are interested in. It is less practical – but looks at how
categories are shaped.
Session Five – Channel structures (especially in emergent
economies)

Compulsory Reading: (follows the approach on which the session and my thinking about structures
is based:
Asad Aman, Gillian Hopkinson. (2010) The changing structure of distribution channels in Pakistan,
International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management.Vol. 38, Iss. 5; pg. 341
http://search.proquest.com/docview/210951115?accountid=11979

All the rest are optional and it is hard to know what to put in here since you’re probably all interested
in different countries. So read according to how relevant they are to your interests and topics. There
are also a couple of books on China and India in books list (See the resources button on the website
– they are at the top of the list).

Leach, M.P et al (2011) Strategies for trade sales in a changing Asian business culture, Journal of
Marketing Channels, 18, 3, 217-239.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1046669X.2011.584299

Ramakrishnan, K (2010) The competitive response of small, independent retailers to organized retail:
Study in an emerging economy, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 17, 4.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096969891000010X
This one is about India.

Further Tip: You are likely to be interested in different national markets and can search the database
on those countries. National sector reviews are fairly often to be found in the International Journal
of Retail and Distribution Management and these articles tend not to be too
complex/statistical/philosophical

Session Six – Mapping Product Flow and Dual Channels

Much of your reading in these topics should be through general engagement with the
marketing/business press, but I suggest some optional readings for you to choose among if you
want
:

Preston, L.E. and Schramm, A.E. (1965) Dual distribution and its impact on marketing organization,
California Management Review.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=7247776a-3700-4cc1-9ff0-
ee2b59bdc072%40sessionmgr198&vid=0&hid=102&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#A
N=5046976&db=buh
The Preston article may seem to you to be ancient (ie before you were born) but it does outline what
dual distribution is and why it might matter for both organizations and society. So, this is for those
wanting an outline and definitions – but ignore the statistics etc and references to the law (which
differs over time and internationally) and concentrate upon the key and generalisable points being
put forward.

Barry Berman, Shawn Thelen (2004) A guide to developing and managing a well-integrated multi-
channel retail strategy, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management. Bradford: 2004.
Vol. 32, Iss. 2/3; pg. 147
http://search.proquest.com/docview/210902582/abstract?accountid=11979
The Berman article is more about multi-channels as in using bricks plus clicks etc without thinking
too much that these might be owned by different people. Nevertheless it may give you some insight
into how functions could be effectively split in composite channels .

Alberto Sa Vinhas, Sharmila Chatterjee, Shantanu Dutta, Adam Fein, et al. (2010) Channel design,
coordination, and performance: Future research directions. Marketing Letters. Boston: Sep 2010.
Vol. 21, Iss. 3; pg. 223
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11002-010-9105-2
The Vinhas article gives more questions than answers but it does therefore pose some of the
‘unknowns’ for you to think about in channel contexts. Also throws up interesting questions if you
want to do further research in the future.

Nanda Kumar, Ranran Ruan (2006) On manufacturers complementing the traditional retail channel
with a direct online channel. Quantitative Marketing and Economics.. Vol. 4, Iss. 3; pg. 289
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11129-005-9003-8
This article is quite helpful in some areas and looks at why some brand owners introduce direct
internet sales alongside independent channels – and others don’t.

Parment, A (2008) Distribution strategies for volume and premium brands in highly competitive
consumer markets, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 15, 4.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698907000422
This is about the car market and covers several issues we look at in the module (eg franchising,
multi-channels, and luxury versus volume distribution. An interesting article (I think).

Of course, once we look at dual distribution we can also consider how brand owners may seek to use
own brand as a form of dual distribution (ie two brands that are similar sold through two systems) –
you will have looked at own brand many times in your degrees including here but just a couple of
fairly contemporary and very easy reading articles that may help you relate own brand to issues in
this module:

Kumar and Steenkamp (2007) The right way to fight for shelf domination, Advertising Age –
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=23837539&site=ehost-live
(note that this article provides some brief headlines from their book – ‘Private label strategy: How to
meet the store brand challenge’, (2007) Harvard Business School Press.
Students who are particularly interested should also look at this very readable book.
Lincoln (2006) Beat the brand squeeze, Brand Strategy
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=21332063&site=ehost-live

In this session we will also make reference, probably to the omni-channel. I have been unable to
locate academic literature on this. I shall keep looking, but let me know if you find something useful.

Session Seven – The role of the law and shades of grey

Readings for this are mostly of a more practical nature for you to build up knowledge of what
happens in competition policy.

Recommended browsing – EITHER check out legal competition websites OR click through on news
articles given in slide lectures:
You could check out the competition commission website and looked through cases that are of
interest to you:
http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/
And the European Union section on competition (here in English but available in any other official
language)
http://europa.eu/pol/comp/index_en.htm

Perhaps one of the best ways of understanding competition issues in terms of their causes and
effects in channels is to look at ‘cases’ – I identify and link to brief cases (from the BBC) on the slides
used in the lecture.

Recommended browsing - visit the British Brands website (which is a consortium of classical and
high profile brand owners) Readings from the competition section and grey/parallel trades section of
the British Brands Group website give you an excellent view of what brand owners think about grey
markets – we shall be using one of these readings closely in class.
http://www.britishbrandsgroup.org.uk/introduction

Optional readings are as follows

Fontenot and Hyman (2004) The anti-trust implications of marketing, Journal of Business Research,
57, 11
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014829630200454X
An interesting article that questions marketing relationships and where these might slip over the
boundary and become anti-competitive is:

Berman (2004) Strategies to combat the sale of gray market goods, Business Horizons
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=673449231&sid=4&Fmt=2&clientId=14829&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Dated but provides some ‘how to’ advice
Kersi D. Antia, Mark Bergen, Shantanu Dutta (2004) Competing With Gray Markets, MIT Sloan
Management Review. Cambridge:. Vol. 46, Iss. 1; pg. 63
http://search.proquest.com/docview/224964276/abstract?accountid=11979
Again, a ‘how to’ reading – and argues that grey markets are sometimes to be encouraged.

Eagle, Lynne; Kitchen, Philip J; Rose, Lawrence; Moyle, Brendan (2003) Brand equity and brand
vulnerability: The impact of gray marketing/parallel importing on brand equity and values. European
Journal of Marketing 37. 10. 1332-1349.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/237025511/abstract?accountid=11979
This article link grey markets and branding and includes comments from brand owners.

Yeung, Godfrey; Mok, Vincent (2006) Regional Monopoly and Interregional and Intraregional
Competition: The Parallel Trade in Coca-Cola Between Shanghai and Hangzhou in China. Economic
Geography 82. 1 89-109.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/235590893/abstract?accountid=11979
This is a really interesting article about the grey markets for Coca-Cola in China – so this happens
everywhere, not just in the West.

Session Eight – Modern Franchising

Recommended reading:
Bradach, Jeffrey L. (1997) Using the plural form in the management of restaurant chains.
Administrative Science Quarterly42.2 (Jun 1997): 276-303.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/203943950?accountid=11979
Jeffrey has written a really good book 'the franchise organization' - however, this article covers many
of his core points and gives a good flavour of franchising - it looks at mixing full ownership and
franchising, which is very widespread.

Recommended reading if you are not familiar with the core reasons for franchising:
Gillian C. Hopkinson ; Sandra Hogarth-Scott (1999) Franchise relationship quality: micro-economic
explanations. European Journal of Marketing, Vol.33(9/10), p.827-843
http://search.proquest.com/docview/237024711/abstract/13C33F859D813F177A2/2?accountid=11
979
This article reviews the classic arguments for franchising and questions the evidence for them and
their fit to contexts
And now a few other papers that are purely optional:
Hopkinson G (2001) Influence in marketing channels: A sense-making investigation, Psychology and
Marketing 18, 5. 423-444
http://search.proquest.com/docview/227756080?accountid=11979

Hopkinson (2003) Stories from the front-line how they construct the organisation, Journal of
Management Studies - 48, 3.
http://10.1046/j.1467-6486.2003.00407.x
Both the above papers draw on my own research approach that starts from the assumption that “if
you want to understand someone else’s culture/world (in this case franchisees), start off by listening
to their stories ….

Frazer, Lorelle; Weaven, Scott; Giddings, Jeff; Grace, Debra (2012 What went wrong? Franchisors
and franchisees disclose the causes of conflict in franchising. Qualitative Market Research 15. 1 87-
103.

http://search.proquest.com/docview/912506669?accountid=11979

I found this moderately interesting

Session Nine – Surgery Sessions

Session Ten – Readings to be advised since the use of this

session is flexible according to needs.