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2023/2024

Distribution Management

Code: 102356 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2501572 Business Administration and Management OT 4 1

Contact

Name:
Jose Facundo Garcia
Email:
josefacundo.garcia@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.

Teachers

Jose Facundo Garcia

Prerequisites

It is recommended that the student has passed the Marketing I and Marketing II subjects.
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.
  • Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
  • Take decisions in situations of uncertainty, demonstrating an entrepreneurial and innovative attitude.
  • Transmit company, department or work objectives clearly.
  • 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 the importance of long-term commercial relationships with clients (relationship marketing).
  4. Assess the main marketing concepts and tools.
  5. Capacity to adapt to changing environments.
  6. Capacity to continue future learning independently, acquiring further knowledge and exploring new areas of knowledge.
  7. Demonstrate initiative and work independently when required.
  8. Establish strategies of innovation and development of new products.
  9. Evaluate the major concepts and tools of communication (offline and online).
  10. Formulate and design different strategies of growth and differentiation.
  11. Identify the differences in the marketing applied to different economic sectors or types of organisations.
  12. Identify the different elements making up a marketing plan, and draw up a marketing plan.
  13. Identify the different elements that make up a communication plan and develop a communication plan.
  14. Make decisions in situations of uncertainty and show an enterprising and innovative spirit.
  15. Organise work, in terms of good time management and organisation and planning.
  16. Perform an analysis of the market and of competitive structures, and determine a strategic diagnosis for the company.
  17. Recognise the different directions a company can adopt.
  18. Select and generate the information needed for each problem, analyse it and make decisions based on this information.
  19. Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
  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 funcions (wholesale, retail)

     4. Forms and retail formats with and without establishement

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

5. MULTICHANNEL AND OMNICHANEL DISTRIBUTION

  1. Multichannel strategy
  2. The omnichannel eco-system
  3. Omnichannel strategy
  4. How traditional offline retailers and newer online retailershave successfully implemented omnichannel strategies.

Methodology

The course "Distribution Management" of the 4th year of the Grade has 6 ECTS credits, that is, a total of 150 hours of student dedication (25 hours per credit). These are structured in the different types of training activities and teaching methodologies described below to combine a well-founded theoretical approach with practical exercises that allow a direct approach to the reality of distribution management today.

 Teaching will be offered on campus or in an on-campus and remote hybrid format.

 Case Studies, Theoretical 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.

 The theoretical foundations will be exposed in the theoretical classes, which will be opened at all times to the participation of students for clarification and debate.

 The fundamentals of the theory will be settled on the reading of texts and the autonomous study, both of the material exposed in the classes and other materials that will be indicated in class or through the Virtual Campus.

The study work will be complemented with individual exercises related to the seminar readings and cases, from which a debate will be held between the students and the students led by the teacher. During the course, there will be a total of 4 seminars. Seminars will include written assignments and will also be treated orally in class. All seminars will be evaluated both in terms of oral contributions in class and, where appropriate, written deliveries. It will be communicated through the Virtual Campus in advance sufficient in what specific activities will be each seminar and the necessary preparation by the students. The study work will be complemented with individual exercises related to the seminar readings and cases, from which a debate will be held between the students led by the lecturer. During the course, a total of 4 seminars will take place, all seminars will include a written assignment and will also be treated orally in class. All seminars will be evaluated both in terms of oral contributions in class and, where appropriate, written assignments. It will be communicated through the Virtual Campus in sufficient time to allow understand the specific activities that will consist of each seminar and the necessary preparation by students.

The Final course assignment (in groups) will be carried out in teams of 3 people, with the exceptions that can be considered for working or other kinds of reasons duly justified. The final course assignment will be exposed orally in class.

 On the days of oral presentations of papers of the Final course assignment, a round of questions will be made by the lecturer and the students. Finally, a debate will be opened on the set of topics addressed in the oral presentation.

 During the course, individual and group tutorials will be carried out for the accomplishment of the Final course assignment and on the follow-up of the course in the hours that will be previously fixed through the electronic mail at the request of the students as well as by indication of the lecturer.

The exam will be at the end of the semester on the day and schedule set by the Faculty, which will be made public in sufficient time and that students will have to confirm through the Faculty website.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
In class activity 40 1.6 8, 10, 16, 17
Type: Supervised      
Seminars 10 0.4 5, 7, 13, 15, 21, 23, 9
Type: Autonomous      
Relationships within the channel - study hours 92 3.68 3

Assessment

The continuous evaluation process is made up of: Attendance and participation in class and seminars. (maximum absences: 3) - 15%: in case of more absences without justification, the grade of this participation part is a zero.

Four written seminars about readings and cases: 15% of the final grade. This subject/module does not offer the option for comprehensive evaluation. 

Final course assignment (in groups): 35%

Final exam: 35%

Seminars: 15%

Class participation and attendance: 15%

• It is a necessary condition, but not enough, to pass the exam in order to pass the subject.

• To pass the subject it is necessary to approve the seminars, such as the final course assignment, such as the exam.

• The dates of the seminars as well as the oral presentations of the course papers will be specified within the framework of the course program through the Virtual Campus.

• It is required to assist to the seminar sessions. Any absence due to labor or medical issue appropriately documented will not have any effect on the final mark. It is permitted to have three non-justified absences to the course.

• Written seminar papers will be submitted before the corresponding class through the Virtual Campus. They will only be evaluated if the student attends the corresponding seminar session or presents medical or work justification of the absence.

• The exam will be at the end of the semester on the day and schedule set by the Faculty, which will be made public in sufficient time and that students will have to confirm through the Faculty website.

• Students must notify the composition of the group and the subject chosen for the course paper through the teacher's email during the first two weeks of the semester. Otherwise, they willnot be allowed to deliver it.

•Students who have not passed the whole of the seminars or the final course assignment or both may submit a new individual written work, determined by the lecturer, to obtain the necessary grade to pass the assessment activities that they had failed. The lecturer will specify to the students in this situation the characteristics and date of delivery of the corresponding work.

• Students who have not passed the exam will have the opportunity to take part in the compensation activities, that is to say, they will be able to re-test the failed exam on the day the Faculty determines, after the end of the second semester.

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

Afterall 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
Class participation and attendance 15 2 0.08 6, 7, 8, 15, 19, 21, 9
Final exam 35 2 0.08 2, 5, 1, 7, 22, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 9, 4
Finall assignment 35 2 0.08 8, 10, 13, 12, 16, 17, 20, 21, 3
Press seminar - Individual and team work 15 2 0.08 2, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 19, 16, 17, 20, 23

Bibliography

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY

Palmatier, R. W., Sivadas, E., Stern, L. W., & El-Ansary, A. I. (2019). Marketing Channel Strategy: An Omni-channel Approach. Routledge.

Harris, L. C., Kotler, P., & Armstrong, G. (2020). PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING EIGHTH EUROPEAN EDITION.

Bell, D. R., Gallino, S., & Moreno, A. (2014). How to win in an omnichannel world. MIT Sloan Management Review, 56(1), 45.

COMPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ailawadi, K. L., & Farris, P. W. (2017). Managing multi-and omni-channel distribution: metrics and research directions. Journal of retailing, 93(1), 120-135.

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

 Brewer, P., & Sebby, A. G. (2021). The effect of online restaurant menus on consumers’ purchase intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 94, 102777.

Gassenheimer, J. B., Hunter, G. L., & Siguaw, J. A. (2007). An evolving theory of hybrid distribution: Taming a hostile supply network. Industrial Marketing Management, 36(5), 604-616.

Grewal, D., Noble, S. M., Roggeveen, A. L., & Nordfalt, J. (2020). The future of in-store technology. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48(1), 96-113.

Hossain, T. M. T., Akter, S., Kattiyapornpong, U., & Dwivedi, Y. (2020). Reconceptualizing integration quality dynamics for omnichannel marketing. Industrial Marketing Management, 87, 225-241.

Mendocilla, M., Matamoros, P. M., & Matute, J. (2021). QUICKSERV: a service quality assessment tool for the quick-service restaurant industry. British Food Journal.

Mc Ginn, Daniel: What did 2020 do to retail? Hardvard Business Review. 2020.

Roggeveen, A. L., & Sethuraman, R. (2020). How the COVID-19 pandemic may change the world of Retailing. Journal of Retailing, 96(2), 169.

Kollmann, T., Kuckertz, A., & Kayser, I. (2012). Cannibalization or synergy? Consumers' channel selection in online–offline multichannel systems. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 19(2), 186-194.

Steinhoff, L., Arli, D., Weaven, S., & Kozlenkova, I. V. (2019). Online relationship marketing. Journal of the Academy of marketing science, 47(3), 369-393.

Tsai, T. M., Wang, W. N., Lin, Y. T., & Choub, S. C. (2015). An O2O commerce service framework and its effectiveness analysis with application to proximity commerce. Procedia Manufacturing, 3, 3498-3505.

Verhoef, P. C., Neslin, S. A., & Vroomen, B. (2007). Multichannel customer management: Understanding the research-shopper phenomenon. International journal of research in marketing, 24(2), 129-148.

Webb, K. L., & Lambe, C. J. (2007). Internal multi-channel conflict: An exploratory investigation and conceptual framework. Industrial Marketing Management, 36(1), 29-43.

Zhao, Z., & Balagué, C. (2015). Designing branded mobile apps: Fundamentals and recommendations. Business Horizons, 58(3), 305-315.


Software

A good knowlewdge of Microsoft Office is important, as well as being able to use a statistical package.