خلاصة:
This study seeks to examine how a company can select the best intermediary for its Marketing channels with minimum of criteria and time. A theoretical framework is proposed based on the most important tasks of intermediary and the criteria to measure them. There are four basic tasks and thirty criteria in three independent levels. Subsequently، an exploratory case study in Iranian Food industry is described to illustrate the value of the framework. It is possible to apply the theoretical framework to select the intermediary for any industry or country. However، there might be possible location-specific or industry-specific limitations. Moreover، the framework has proved to be useful in improving the selection of the intermediary in marketing channel. This is a notable and promising side-effect of the exploratory study، at least from a managerial point of view.Tehran، Qom، Iran 2. Faculty of Industrial engineering، Iran University of Science and technology، Tehran، Iran 3. Faculty of Management، Qom College، University of Tehran، Qom، Iran
ملخص الجهاز:
Faculty of Management, Qom College, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran (Received: I November 2010; Revised: 2 January 2011; Accepted: 19 January 2011) Abstract This study seeks to examine how a company can select the best intermediary for its Marketing channels with minimum of criteria and time.
Stem and El-Ansary presented 18 criteria that some of them are in common with Kapoor and Kansai' s list: (1) Financial strength of prospective channel partner (revenue, profit and loss, balance sheet), (2) sales strength (number of sales agents, sales and technical competence), (3) Product line (competitive products, compatible products, complementary products), (4) Reputation (leadership, well-established, community standing, background of key executives, level of expertise), (5) Market coverage (geographic coverage: outlets per market area, industry coverage, call frequency or intensity of coverage), ( 6) Sales performance (performance of related lines, general sales performance, growth prospects, ability to penetrate accounts, success in reaching target markets/individuals, after-sales follow-up), (7) management strength (planning, employee relations, marketing orientation, strategic direction), (8) advertising and sales promotion programs, (9) training programs (self-administered, willingness to allow suppliers to participate), ( 10) sales compensation programs, (11) Plant, equipment, and facilities (transportation/delivery methods and record, inventory such as kind and size, inventory minimum: safety stocks and service levels, warehousing such as supplied in field and ability to handle shipments efficiently), (12) ordering and payment producers, (13) installation and repair services (after-sales follow-up, warranty work), ( 14) quality of demonstrator programs, ( 15) willingness to commit resources to individual lines/brands, (16) willingness to cooperate in joint programs, (17) willingness to share data (customer, sales force, inventory, delivery), ( 18) willingness to accept a quota.
4- Reviewing of the tasks and criteria and developing the proposed framework This research concentrated on selection of intermediary in marketing channel.