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2020/2021

Distribution Management

Code: 102356 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2501572 Business Administration and Management OT 4 0
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Gabriel Izard Granados
Email:
Gabriel.Izard@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
english (eng)
Some groups entirely in English:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Prerequisites

There are not specific requirements.
It is recommended to have knowledge of marketing and a high willingness to learn about strategies, issues and activities related to the management of distribution channels at any format, anywhere.
Without being rigorous and as a first look about it, correspond to the deepening of the "p" of Place in the 4 traditional Marketing ones.

 

Objectives and Contextualisation

At the end of the course the student should be able to:
• Understand the main concepts and terminology distribution management
• Formulate strategies for the distribution management
• Identify the relationships of exchange and improved business practices and management among the members of channel.


At the end of the course the student should know:
• Analyze situations of distribution management and learn to make decisions about distributors behavior
• Assess the importance of long term relationships with clients and designing collaborative systems
• Relate the different areas of the company with the focus on results orientation with the best use of distribution channel.

Competences

  • Apply theoretical knowledge to improve relations with clients and suppliers, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of those relations for both sides: company and client or supplier.
  • Capacity for adapting to changing environments.
  • Capacity for independent learning in the future, gaining more profound knowledge of previous areas or learning new topics.
  • Capacity for oral and written communication in Catalan, Spanish and English, which enables synthesis and oral and written presentation of the work carried out.
  • Demonstrate initiative and work individually when the situation requires it.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the processes for the implementation of company strategies.
  • Organise the work in terms of good time management, organisation and planning.
  • Select and generate the information necessary for each problem, analyse it and take decisions based on that information.
  • Take decisions in situations of uncertainty, demonstrating an entrepreneurial and innovative attitude.
  • Transmit company, department or work objectives clearly.
  • Value ethical commitment in professional practice.
  • Work well in a team, being able to argue proposals and validate or reject the arguments of others in a reasoned manner.

Learning Outcomes

  1. A capacity of oral and written communication in Catalan, Spanish and English, which allows them to summarise and present the work conducted both orally and in writing.
  2. Apply the concepts of strategic marketing to achieve market-oriented organisation.
  3. Assess ethical commitment in professional activity.
  4. Assess the importance of long-term commercial relationships with clients (relationship marketing).
  5. Assess the main marketing concepts and tools.
  6. Capacity to adapt to changing environments.
  7. Capacity to continue future learning independently, acquiring further knowledge and exploring new areas of knowledge.
  8. Demonstrate initiative and work independently when required.
  9. Establish strategies of innovation and development of new products.
  10. Evaluate the major concepts and tools of communication (offline and online).
  11. Formulate and design different strategies of growth and differentiation.
  12. Identify the differences in the marketing applied to different economic sectors or types of organisations.
  13. Identify the different elements making up a marketing plan, and draw up a marketing plan.
  14. Identify the different elements that make up a communication plan and develop a communication plan.
  15. Make decisions in situations of uncertainty and show an enterprising and innovative spirit.
  16. Organise work, in terms of good time management and organisation and planning.
  17. Perform an analysis of the market and of competitive structures, and determine a strategic diagnosis for the company.
  18. Recognise the different directions a company can adopt.
  19. Select and generate the information needed for each problem, analyse it and make decisions based on this information.
  20. Translate strategic goals into specific marketing-mix programmes.
  21. Translating strategic objectives into concrete programs of communication.
  22. Understand the importance of strategic marketing as a source of competitive advantages for the organisation.
  23. Work as part of a team and be able to argue own proposals and validate or refuse the arguments of others in a reasonable manner.

Content

1. INTRODUCTION

  1. Course contents. Definition of Channel Distribution
  2. Strategic importance of the distribution. The channel flows
  3. Organization for commercial distribution. Vertical and horizontal systems
  4. Ongoing changes: growth, competition, increase the weight of retail, ICT, relationships in the supply chain, the ECR

 

2. TRADE AND DISTRIBUTION: ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

  1. The market: relevant figures and data elements
  2.  Economic justification of the distribution and profitability criteria. Examples of control: the DPP
  3. Distribution functions (wholesale, retail)
  4. Forms and retail formats with and without establishment

 

3 . DISTRIBUTION ENVIRONMENTS

  1. Conflict and Power: what are the requirements
  2. Demand (consumers). Analysis of the buying process and consumer behavior in the changing environment
  3. Technologies and control procedures: Planning, Management, CRM
  4. Legal  and institutional environment
  5. Distributive market structures: Designing  the distributive system

 

4. ORGANIZATION OF DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

  1. Understanding the  customer and services
  2. Assortment and merchandising. Category management.
  3. Price and profitability. Location
  4. Own distribution methods and ways to reach the market
  5. Channel loyalty
  6. Strategic use of the brand

Methodology

“Teaching will be offered on campus or in an on-campus and remote hybrid format depending on the number of students per group and the size of the rooms at 50% capacity.”

Case Studies, Lectures, debates, in class activities, seminars. Those are the main methodology examples used in this course. Proactive student participation is considered a plus and therefore it is encouraged by the professor

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
In class activity 45.5 1.82 9, 11, 17, 18
Type: Supervised      
Press Seminar 5 0.2 6, 8, 14, 16, 21, 23, 10
Type: Autonomous      
Relationships within the channel - study hours 95.5 3.82 4

Assessment

Student will get a grade when he covers the  50% of the evaluation activities.

Attendance and participation in class. (maximum absences: 3) - 8% : in case of more absences without justification, the grade of this participation part is a zero
Press seminar and debate: individual and in groups -10%

4 individual and team group assignments 12 %
Final course assignment (in groups) - 30%
Final exam - 40%

Press seminar is explained herewith and course assignment will be explained at the beginning of the course

SEMINAR PRESS (two sessions)
1 - Individual work: Students must individually seek at  media or any source of information   a news that refers  to the distribution channels and it has been published over  the last 4 months. The scope can be local or international, must choose one that you find interesting or relevant on the issue of Distribution Management. (See list of possible topics at the end)
Using the chosen news, the student must write a summary of 300-400 words (more than half a page) that is included:
1 - Article Title
2.- Content summary
 3.- Personal reasons for choosing it and how it relates to the distribution
4 - Source and date
The day of the seminar each student individually will make a brief statement explaining the content of what you have written and the document itself will be delivered to the teacher.

2 - Group work. Team groups Students  will produce a document assessment of the previous session, including:
1 -. Overall rating the session and its development
2 - Summary of the session by a typology of issues addressed
3 - Election Article submitted as the more interesting  related to the Distribution Channel debate and  to the audience, including the justification for this choice
The teacher will randomly select one or moregroups and there will be a discussion on the above points.

List of possible topics:

  • News about store implementations (merchandising)
  • News about changes (eg success or failure) of companies retaildistribution
  • News about new openings, investments, etc. and their impact on theterritory and competition
  • News about relationships between distribution companies and manufacturer companies
  • News about companies adapting to changes in consumer
  • News on the impact of technological change on the distribution and communications
  • News about activities of antitrust, trade protection, legislative changes done by any public administration in relation to distribution channels
  • News about activities of organizations, associations, institutions, lobbies, etc. .. Trading and distribution

Calendar of evaluation activities

The dates of the evaluation activities (midterm exams, exercises in the classroom, assignments, ...) will be announced well in advance during the semester.

The date of the final exam is scheduled in the assessment calendar of the Faculty.

"The dates of evaluation activities cannot be modified, unless there is an exceptional and duly justified reason why an evaluation activity cannot be carried out. In this case, the degree coordinator will contact both the teaching staff and the affected student, and a new date will be scheduled within the same academic period to make up for the missed evaluation activity." Section 1 of Article 115. Calendar of evaluation activities (Academic Regulations UAB). Students of the Faculty of Economics and Business, who in accordance with the previous paragraph need to change an evaluation activity date must process the request by filling out an Application for exams' reschedule https://eformularis.uab.cat/group/deganat_feie/application-for-exams-reschedule

Grade revision process

After all grading activities have ended, students will be informed of the date and way in which thecourse grades will be published. Students will be also be informed of the procedure, place, date and time of grade revision following University regulations.

Retake Process

"To be eligible to participate in the retake process, it is required for students to have been previously been evaluated for at least two thirds of the total evaluation activities of the subject." Section 3 of Article 112 ter. The recovery (UAB Academic Regulations). Additionally, it is required that the student to have achieved an average grade of the subject between 3.5 and 4.9.

The date of the retake exam will be posted in the calendar of evaluation activities of the Faculty. Students who take this exam and pass, will get a grade of 5 for the subject. If the student does not pass the retake, the grade will remain unchanged, and hence, student will fail the course.

Irregularities in evaluation activities

In spite of other disciplinary measures deemed appropriate, and in accordance with current academic regulations, "in the case that the student makes any irregularity that could lead to a significant variation in the grade of an evaluation activity, it will be graded with a 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that can be instructed. In case of various irregularities occur in the evaluation of the same subject, the final grade of this subject will be 0". Section 10 of Article 116. Results of the evaluation. (UAB Academic Regulations).

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Final exam 50 0 0 2, 6, 1, 8, 22, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 10, 5
Finall assignment 30 2 0.08 9, 11, 17, 18
Press seminar - Individual and team work 10 2 0.08 2, 9, 11, 13, 17, 18, 20
attendance 10 0 0 6, 1, 7, 8, 22, 11, 14, 12, 16, 15, 18, 19, 21, 23, 3, 10, 5, 4

Bibliography

Berkhout, Constant (2019) Assortment and Merchandising Strategy. Building a Retail Plan to Improve Shopper Experience. Springer

CASARES, J.,..: "Distribución Comercial " Ed.  Civitas. 2005

CHETOCHINE, G.: "Marketing estratégico de los canales de distribución" Ed. Granica.

FISLER M.  “Canaux de distribution” Ed.Vuibert Gestion Paris 1989

CRUZ ROCHE, I. (2012):” Canales de distribución” Ed. Piramide (**)

Martinez-Lopez, F.J., Gázquez-Abad, J.C. Roggeveen, A.(2019) Advances in National Brand and Private Label Marketing. Springer

IZARD, G (2010): “Gestión de la distribución: guía de estudio” Ed. Servei de Publicacions UAB Col·lecció Materials 219 (****)

Izard G. (2019) Chapter: “La distribución comercial de alimentos y el comercio electrónico” included in the book “La venta de alimentos online” https://www.thomsonreuters.es/es/tienda/duo-papel-ebook/la-venta-de-alimentos-onlineduo/p/10014951 

Izard, G. (2019) Article: “Transformación digital en la Distribución Comercial”. Includend in the publication “Omnichannel Marketing: Las nuevas reglas de la distribución y el consumo en el mundo omnicanal”. Cátedra Fundación Ramon Areces, Oviedo http://www.catedrafundacionarecesdcuniovi.es/download/download_material.php?idMaterial=282

Izard, G. (2019) Keynote speaker at the The International Conference on Advances in National Brand and Private Label Marketing (NB&PL) (2019). Title:  “Private label in Spain. Business Approach”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa1aX0YZXRo Included in the book “Advances in National Brand & Private Label Marketing. Sixth International Conference, 2019. Springer

Izard G. (2018) Book Chapter: “La identificación digital del fabricante real del producto de una marca”. Marcas Negras (en la era de la trasparencia). Olivares F. ed. Gedisa  (2011) https://marcasnegras.es/

MARTINEZ MARTINEZ, I.J. (2005) La comunicación en el punto de venta ESIC

MIQUEL S., PARRA, F., Mª, ROMERO JM, L´HERMIE, C. Distribución Comercial (Escuela Superior de Gestión Comercial y Marketing (Esic)) 5ª edición 2006

KOTLER, P. "Introducción al Márketing". Ed.Prentice Hall.2009

PALOMARES R. (2015) Merchandising. Auditoria de Marketing en el punto de venta. ESIC

Pantano, Eleonora, Dennis, Charles (2019) Smart Retailing. Springer

QUINN, Feargal. "Crowing the Customer (how to become Customer- Driven)" The O´Brien Press. Dublín, 1990

REINARES LAZA, P., “Marketing Relacional” Ed. Prentice Hall 2004

SAINZ DE VICUÑA ANCIN, JM: "La distribución comercial: opciones estratégicas". Ed. ESIC 1996

SIEIRA M. (2017) mARCAS DEL DISTRIBUIDOR . ESIC

STERN, L.W. y EL-ANSARY, A.I. “Marketing Channels” Ed. Prentice –Hall 1997 i “Canales de Comercialización” Ed. Prentice –Hall. 1999  (***)

VÁZQUEZ CASIELLES, R. y TRESPALACIOS, J.A.: “Estrategias de distribución comercial, Diseño del canal de distribución y relacion entre los fabricantes y detallistas” Ed. Thomson, Madrid, 2006 (**)

Revistes: Alimarket, Aral, Distribución Actualidad, Distribución y Consumo

Webs: https://www.theconsumergoodsforum.com/; http://www.canaldis.com/: https://www.fmi.org/ http://www.nielsen.com/us/en.html; https://www.kantarworldpanel.com/global; https://www.igd.com/; https://www.gs1.org/; https://stores.org/; https://www.gfk.com/;http://www.nb-plmarketing.org/