Distribution Management
Code: 102356Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | OP | 4 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Yacine Ouazzani
- Email :
- yacine.ouazzani@uab.cat
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
Students are recommended to have passed the previous marketing subjects in the degree, or to have equivalent basic knowledge of marketing.
No specific technical prerequisites are required. However, students are expected to be familiar with basic marketing concepts and to be willing to engage with strategic, managerial and applied issues related to the management of distribution channels.
Objectives
Distribution Management is a marketing course that deepens the study of the “Place” variable within the traditional marketing mix. It provides students with the concepts and tools needed to understand, design and manage distribution channels in different business contexts.
The course focuses on how companies organise distribution systems, coordinate channel members, manage relationships among manufacturers, distributors, retailers and other intermediaries, and make decisions that improve commercial performance and value creation. It also introduces current developments affecting distribution channels, including retail transformation, omnichannel distribution and internationalisation, while maintaining a managerial approach.
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Understand the main concepts and terminology of distribution management.
- Understand the strategic importance of distribution as part of marketing management.
- Analyse distribution channel structures and the roles of different channel members.
- Identify the main functions, flows and decisions involved in distribution channels.
- Formulate basic strategies for distribution channel design and management.
- Assess the importance of long-term relationships and collaboration among channel members.
- Analyse problems related to power, conflict and coordination in distribution channels.
- Relate distribution decisions to other marketing decisions, customer experience and the overall objectives of the company.
- Apply the concepts of the course to practical cases and propose reasoned managerial recommendations.
Learning outcomes
- Capacity to adapt to changing environments.
- Capacity to continue future learning independently, acquiring further knowledge and exploring new areas of knowledge.
- Select and generate the information needed for each problem, analyse it and make decisions based on this information.
- Make decisions in situations of uncertainty and show an enterprising and innovative spirit.
- 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.
- Organise work, in terms of good time management and organisation and planning.
- Demonstrate initiative and work independently when required.
- 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.
- Assess the main marketing concepts and tools.
- Assess the importance of long-term commercial relationships with clients (relationship marketing).
- Identify the differences in the marketing applied to different economic sectors or types of organisations.
- Understand the importance of strategic marketing as a source of competitive advantages for the organisation.
- Perform an analysis of the market and of competitive structures, and determine a strategic diagnosis for the company.
- Formulate and design different strategies of growth and differentiation.
- Establish strategies of innovation and development of new products.
- Recognise the different directions a company can adopt.
- Identify the different elements making up a marketing plan, and draw up a marketing plan.
- Translate strategic goals into specific marketing-mix programmes.
- Apply the concepts of strategic marketing to achieve market-oriented organisation.
- Evaluate the major concepts and tools of communication (offline and online).
- Identify the different elements that make up a communication plan and develop a communication plan.
- Translating strategic objectives into concrete programs of communication.
- 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.
Contents
1. Foundations of distribution management and channel design
Key concepts of distribution management; distribution as part of the marketing mix; marketing channels, channel members, channel functions, service outputs and channel design.
2. Channel analysis, audit and governance
Channel audits, efficiency and equity principles, performance gaps, channel power, dependence, influence strategies and governance mechanisms.
3. Channel relationships and conflict management
Motivations for channel relationships, trust and commitment, relationship lifecycle, fairness, channel conflict, sources of conflict and conflict resolution mechanisms.
4. Retailing, wholesaling and distribution intermediaries
Retail formats, retailer marketing decisions, assortment and merchandising, the Big Middle, wholesaling functions and the role of intermediaries in value creation.
5. Omnichannel, digital and international distribution strategies
Omnichannel ecosystems, integration of physical and digital channels, live streaming shopping, hybrid customer experiences, international market entry and the role of customer experience, satisfaction and loyalty in distribution performance.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theory classes and in-class activities | 40 | 1.6 | 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 16, 17, 20, 22 |
| Study, readings and preparation of assignments | 92 | 3.68 | 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 16, 18, 20, 22 |
| Practical activities and tutorials | 10 | 0.4 | 5, 7, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 21, 23 |
The course has 6 ECTS credits, corresponding to a total of 150 hours of student workload. The activities listed in the table above correspond to 142 hours. The remaining 8 hours correspond to assessment activities, which are detailed in the Assessment section. Together, these activities amount to 150 hours.
The teaching methodology combines theoretical explanations, case studies, practical activities, class discussions, readings, applied exercises and group work. The objective is to help students connect the main concepts of distribution management with real business situations and managerial decision-making.
Theory classes will introduce the main concepts, frameworks and tools of the course. These sessions may include examples, short exercises, discussions and analysis of business cases in order to facilitate the understanding and application of the concepts presented.
Practical activities may be carried out individually and/or in groups. They may include case studies, exercises, field observations, short presentations, guest lectures, preparation of materials before class or other applied tasks related to the course content. The specific format and requirements of these activities will be communicated through the Virtual Campus.
The final course assignment will be carried out in groups. It will allow students to apply the concepts and tools of the course to a specific distribution management issue. The assignment may include written work and an oral presentation. Detailed instructions, deadlines and assessment criteria will be provided through the Virtual Campus.
Students are expected to engage actively with the course by attending classes, participating in discussions and activities, preparing the required materials and completing autonomous study tasks. Individual and/or group tutorials may be arranged to support the preparation of assignments and the follow-up of the course.
The Virtual Campus will be used to communicate course materials, instructions, deadlines and other relevant information.
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.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical activities - individual and/or group work | 15 | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 16, 18, 20, 23 |
| Class participation, active engagement and attendance | 15 | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 5, 7, 13, 14, 15, 23 |
| Final course assignment | 35 | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 |
| Final exam | 35 | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22 |
The continuous assessment process is made up of the following components:
• Class participation, active engagement and attendance: 15%. A maximum of three unjustified absences is permitted. If a student exceeds this number without valid justification, the grade for this component will be 0.
• Practical activities, carried out individually and/or in groups: 15%. These activities may include case studies, exercises, field observations, guest lectures, short presentations or other applied tasks. They may require previous preparation or follow-up work.
• Final course assignment, carried out in groups: 35%.
• Final exam: 35%.
This subject/module does not provide for the single assessment system.
Use of artificial intelligence
In this course, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted only for support tasks, such as information search, language revision, text correction or translation. When AI tools are used in an assessment activity, students must clearly identify the parts or tasks in which these tools have been used, specify the tools employed and critically reflect on how they have influenced the process and the final result. Non-transparent use of AI in an assessable activity will be considered a breach of academic honesty and may lead to a partial or total penalty in the grade of the activity, or to further sanctions in serious cases.
Requirements to pass the course
To pass the course, students must obtain an overall final grade of at least 5 out of 10 and pass the practical activities component, the final course assignment and the final exam.
Practical activities and final course assignment
The dates of practical activities and oral presentations of the final course assignment will be specified within the course programme through the Virtual Campus.
Attendance at sessions in which assessed practical activities are carried out is required. Practical activities will only be assessed if the student attends the corresponding session or provides duly documented medical or work-related justification for the absence.
Students must notify the lecturer by email of the composition of the group and the topic chosen for the final course assignment within the deadline indicated by the lecturer through the Virtual Campus. Otherwise, they will not be allowed to submit it.
Recovery and retake process
Students who have not passed the practical activities component, the final course assignment or both may submit a new individual written assignment, determined by the lecturer, in order to obtain the grade necessary to pass the assessment activities they have failed. The lecturer will specify the characteristics and submission date of the corresponding assignment.
Students who have not passed the final exam will have the opportunity to take the retake exam on the date determined by the Faculty, provided that they meet the eligibility requirements for the retake process.
Recovery activities are intended solely to allow students to pass the assessment component they have failed. The maximum grade that may be obtained in any recovered assessment component is 5 out of 10.
To be eligible to participate in the retake process, students must have been previously assessed in at least two thirds of the total assessment activities of the course. Section 3 of Article 112 ter, The recovery (UAB Academic Regulations).
Additionally, students must have achieved an overall course grade between 3.5 and 4.9.
The date of the retake exam will be posted in the Faculty assessment calendar. Students who take this exam and pass will receive a final grade of 5 for the course. If the student does not pass the retake exam, the grade will remain unchanged and the student will fail the course.
Not assessed
Students will be considered “Not assessed” when they have not taken part in any assessment activity. Once a student has taken part in or submitted at least one assessment activity, the corresponding grade will be calculated according to the assessment criteria established in this course guide.
Calendar of assessment activities
The dates of assessment activities (midterm exams, in-class exercises, assignments, etc.) will be announced well in advance during the semester.
The date of the final exam is scheduled in the Faculty assessment calendar.
The dates of assessment activities cannot be modified unless there is an exceptional and duly justified reason why an assessment 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 assessment activity. Section 1 of Article 115, Calendar of evaluation activities (UAB Academic Regulations).
Students of the Faculty of Economics and Business who, in accordance with the previous paragraph, need to change an assessment activity date must process the request by filling out the Application for exam rescheduling: https://eformularis.uab.cat/group/deganat_feie/nou-reprogramacio-de-proves
Grade review process
After all assessment activities have been completed, students will be informed of the date and way in which course grades will be published. Students will also be informed of the procedure, place, date and time of grade review in accordance with University regulations.
Irregularities in assessment activities
The completion of assessment activities is subject to the provisions set out in this course guide and in the "Policy of the School of Economics and Business on the Detection of Irregularities during Assessment Activities", which regulates the conditions under which assessment tasks are conducted and the procedures applicable in cases where indications of irregularities are detected. Students are encouraged to consult the policy.
Without prejudice to any disciplinary measures deemed appropriate, and in accordance with current academic regulations, if a student commits any irregularity that could lead to a significant variation in the grade of an assessment activity, that activity will be graded with 0, regardless of any disciplinary proceedings that may be initiated. If several irregularities occur in the assessment of the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0. Section 10 of Article 116, Results of the evaluation (UAB Academic Regulations).
Bibliography
Basic bibliography
• Palmatier, R. W., Sivadas, E., Stern, L. W., & El-Ansary, A. I. (2019). Marketing Channel Strategy: An Omni-Channel Approach (9th ed.). Routledge.
• Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Harris, L. C., & He, H. (2020). Principles of Marketing (8th European ed.). Pearson.
• Verhoef, P. C., Kannan, P. K., & Inman, J. J. (2015). From multi-channel retailing to omni-channel retailing: Introduction to the special issue on multi-channel retailing. Journal of Retailing, 91(2), 174-181.
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.
• Bell, D. R., Gallino, S., & Moreno, A. (2014). How to win in an omnichannel world. MIT Sloan Management Review, 56(1), 45-53.
• Berkhout, C. (2019). Assortment and Merchandising Strategy: Building a Retail Plan to Improve Shopper Experience. Palgrave Macmillan.
• 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., & Nordfält, 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. K. (2020). Reconceptualizing integration quality dynamics for omnichannel marketing. Industrial Marketing Management, 87, 225-241.
• Lemon, K. N., & Verhoef, P. C. (2016). Understanding customer experience throughout the customer journey. Journal of Marketing, 80(6), 69-96.
• Levy, M., Grewal, D., Peterson, R. A., & Connolly, B. (2005). The concept of the “Big Middle”. Journal of Retailing, 81(2), 83-88.
• Picot-Coupey, K., Bouragba, Y., Collin-Lachaud, I., Gallarza, M. G., & Ouazzani, Y. (2023). Live streaming shopping as a new retail format: Insights from a qualitative study of consumers and retailers. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 51(9-10), 1313-1351.
• Steinhoff, L., Arli, D., Weaven, S., & Kozlenkova, I. V. (2019). Online relationship marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 47(3), 369-393.
• Webb, K. L., & Lambe, C. J. (2007). Internal multi-channel conflict: An exploratory investigation and conceptual framework. Industrial Marketing Management, 36(1), 29-43.
Software
No specific software is required for this course. Students are expected to use standard office applications for written assignments, presentations and basic data organisation.
The Virtual Campus will be used to access course materials, submit assignments and receive relevant information about the course.
Depending on the activities carried out during the semester, students may also use spreadsheets, presentation tools, online information sources or other digital tools relevant to distribution management.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 4 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 4 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |