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The article analyses some of the reasons for the difficulties in designing and managing channels of distribution. In particular it argues that an important dilemma likely to be faced by channel managers is the potential conflict between maintaining stable channel relationships whilst seeking to take advantage of channel opportunities.

Reports on a study investigating the ways in which companies organise their sales forces and research. Outlines one particular area of interest — the potential use to be made of information provided by the representatives to sales managers. Discusses differences between selling and marketing and how companies have attempted to incorporate this fact into their thinking and organisational frameworks, and welcomes this approach. Investigates the salesman's role and how it has altered in the last 20 years. Gives an example of types of salesman and what companies look for in candidates for sales jobs, these include: maintaining good relations with established customers and encouraging source loyalty; cold calls by commando salesmen whose role is to search out and establish new accounts; and specialist salesmen to handle distinctive requirements of various classes of customers. States also that in UK companies' sales structures it is apparent that salesmen are usually deployed on a geographical territory basis. Examines a case example of a hypothetical firm in the softwood timber importing and distribution business, and discusses this in detail, using an analysis sheet for explanation. Concludes that although the case study relates only to a single firm in one industry there is good reason to suspect there are many firms in a similar position, some of who are particularly liable to experience the problems discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to understand differences between open-book accounting (OBA) using static prices and OBA using dynamic prices. The authors identify how these differences influence various aspects of customer–supplier relationships.

This paper is based on a case study involving a builders’ merchant and a wood manufacturer in the UK. The builders’ merchant under discussion has recently outsourced part of its production to the aforementioned wood manufacturer by using OBA with dynamic prices. For this case study, the authors have conducted interviews with multiple people from both parties in the agreement. Additional illustrative cases are provided through a study of other qualitative papers on OBA.

The authors find evidence supporting that, when dynamic prices are used in OBA, risk (unpredictability) is shifted from the supplier to the customer. Also, the customer frequently focuses on the supplier’s costs, both parties often aim for a long-term relationship and the customer becomes more dependent on the supplier, causing high interdependence. Furthermore, empirical evidence suggests that the customer finds price less important, and the reallocation of activities between the customer and supplier is easier in OBA setups in which dynamic prices are used.

This paper provides the first study of how differences between dynamic and static prices in OBA influence the customer–supplier relationship. This paper adds to the developing literature on OBA, in particular, as well as to literature on pricing, in general.

The purpose of this paper is to present a logistical analysis of construction supply chains by assessing the impact of varying demand on the performance of builders' merchants' logistics.

Taking into consideration that the vast majority of construction materials are distributed through intermediary organisations, the paper focuses on the logistics of builders' merchants. The study follows a field study approach to develop a conceptual logistics model facilitating experimentation using simulation modelling.

The paper highlights the importance of incorporating intermediary organisations in the study of construction supply chains and reveals the implications of varying demand on logistics performance related to inventory and transportation costs.

In order to limit assumptions associated with individual company characteristics, the sample has included data from one builder's merchant company. To allow external benchmarking, the suggested approach has to be applied to a wider sample.

The paper provides a practical understanding in terms of the function of intermediary organisations in construction supply chains and the application of logistics management in construction.

Considering the complexity involved in construction supply chain operations, the value of this research is twofold. First, the research contributes to an interdisciplinary approach to the study of construction supply chains and second, provides a risk‐free environment for modelling supply chain cost performance.

The purpose of this paper is to consider the applicability of logistics management in construction and facilitate a better understanding of construction supply chains by studying the logistical functions of builders' merchants.

Given that logistics application in construction is still in its infancy, conceptual understanding of the problem is a prerequisite. Thus, a grounded theory approach is followed utilising pre‐existing data as a means of building a model faithful to evidence. The model is analysed by following a discrete‐event simulation modelling approach.

This research demonstrates that examining supply chains from a logistics viewpoint can provide significant insight into the performance of construction supply chains. The analysis also shows that logistics costs are exponentially related to the levels of material demand and number of vehicle movements.

The developed model has to be further investigated and tested for different scenarios. Supplementary refinements of the model are necessary in order to allow the generalisation of the results and the development of an analytical planning tool.

This research illustrates the increased potential of construction for benefiting from an improved capability within logistics which can lead to further developments within the field of logistics in the industry.

This paper considers the significant function of builders' merchants in the supply chains in order to balance the contractor‐centric research efforts that dominate existing literature and take into consideration the holistic nature of supply chain management and its operational aspects.

To understand the potential for various types of retailers, it is essential to appreciate retailer' positioning in the marketplace. Positioning has a critical effect on retailers' competitiveness and performance. Despite the significance and popularity of retail positioning, a few gaps remain that prompt the need for this research. First, little has been written about positioning in the building materials distribution industry, as compared with other retail sectors. Second, the retail classification literature has rarely included positioning as a dimension of retailer characteristics, although, in essence, they are both ways to understand retailer strategy and behaviour. To fill these research gaps, the objective of this research is to contribute to retail positioning research, using the Swedish building material distribution industry as a study setting. Specifically, it has two key goals: to develop a classification framework focusing on the Swedish building material distribution market; and to analyse those distributors by strategic groups and identify their common business priorities.

This research looked at a majority of building material distributors in the Swedish market. A total of 23 interviews were conducted with managing directors or similar from case companies. Interviews ranged from 40 to 90 minutes in duration. This research adapted materials developed for other purposes in order to enhance and strengthen primary data.

This study develops a classification framework of building material distributors and provides an overview of distributors operating in the Swedish markets. Drawing on theory from retail positioning and classification, the research result suggests that the studied distributors can be classified into three strategic groups: DIY‐service focused; DIY‐cost focused; and builders' merchant (BM)‐service focused. Research also showed that distinguishing building material distributor by customer type is not as effective as it once was; there is a trend of internationalisation in the Swedish building material distribution industry; and distributors exert growing central control over certain areas, such as purchasing and marketing.

The building material distribution industry attracts little research attention when compared to other sectors, for instance food and grocery retailing. Given this, the value of this article lies in identifying the leading companies in Sweden and offering strategic analysis of their business developments and focus. Insights into building material distributors' supply requirements are provided.

The purpose of this paper is to explore supplier integration in the assortment management of builders’ merchants (BMs) by identifying potential factors enabling supplier integration and potential factors mediating the success of supplier integration.

A qualitative case study method was used, in which interviews and participative observations were conducted with a timber supplier and BMs in the UK.

The likelihood that a supplier and a retailer will implement supplier integration is positively affected by the retailer’s format as a large chain with several product categories represented in its stores and the retailer’s trust in the supplier. Effectiveness and efficiency of supplier integration is mediated by the number of different retail formats represented by the retailers, the ability of the supplier to determine cost drivers in its operations and a homogeneous market, meaning that local circumstances have limited effect on demand.

The findings are exploratory and further testing of the propositions, using a wider empirical sample, is required. The paper extends theories relating to resource complementarity and suggests that a resource complementarity framework can be applied in relationships other than alliances.

This paper suggests when incorporation of supplier resources is possible to implement and when it is likely to succeed.

This paper uses a contingency perspective to explore supplier integration and targets individual buyer-supplier relationships. It uses a dyadic perspective and considers how supplier integration affects the dyad, rather than only the buyer.

Describes a partnership between UK timber and builders' merchant Ridgeons and Cambridge Regional College (CRC), which is helping both organizations to meet the demands of new legislation and a rapidly changing construction industry, especially in the areas of building materials, techniques and renewable‐energy systems.

Explains the background to the partnership, the form it takes and the benefits it has brought to each organization.

Details how Ridgeons' trainees benefited from the program through increased confidence and the ability to advise customers in the area of sustainability. For CRC, staff expertise has been enhanced providing the competence to develop and deliver a range of courses related to sustainability.

Reveals that Ridgeons sales fell by 4.6 percent in the recession, but for plumbing and heating, which the program was aimed at, sales increased by 5.6 percent.

Describes an award‐winning partnership that is helping to improve environmental awareness in the construction industry.

Highlights an ongoing and mutually beneficial partnership with two‐way knowledge and skills transfer.

The success of a credit system, in terms of both effectiveness and cost, is largely determined by policy established within the company. Too conservative a policy will entail high opportunity cost through loss of business, but too liberal a policy results in the cost of tying up funds in debtors and the increased possibility of bad debts. A survey investigating building merchants' practices in Wales (1984), conducted by questionnaire, reflects some variety in approaching the provision of trade credit, but a relatively high degree of uniformity and lack of sophistication in monitoring systems. Producing statistical indicators of performance from a computer, ceasing to grant credit, or using external services such as credit insurance and factoring, are options which do not seem to have been fully explored.

Strategic concentration is a key issue for manufacturing companies when designing a supply chain. As a corporate strategy and a supply chain governance strategy, vertical integration relates to organisational economics and strategic supply chain management. Numerous explanations have been created for vertical integration, and transaction cost economics (TCE) provides a theoretical basis to help understand the process. However, the current popularity of vertical integration seems inspired by something more than altering industry structure and minimising cost, which are the traditionally accepted explanations for vertical integration This paper aims to explore the driving forces for vertical integration, particularly downstream integration of distribution, and the consequences of vertical integration in a manufacturer‐distributor‐reseller chain.

This study adopted an exploratory case study approach to examine a Swedish‐based timber manufacturer that vertically integrated a distribution centre in the UK, which made it a direct supplier to DIY retailers and builders' merchants. Data were collected primarily through open‐ended, face‐to‐face interviews.

The study found that the most important factors driving the manufacturer's vertical integration of distribution were the demands of large retail chains and the manufacturer's decisions to focus on developing its positioning strategy in the supply chain. Vertical integration has transformed the manufacturer into a supplier to large timber products resellers, offering the firm a greater potential to provide integrated solutions and, therefore, become a strategic partner to its customers.

This empirical study examined a building material distribution channel, a subject that has rarely been studied. Study results add empirical evidence to explanations and impacts of vertical integration, especially the integration of customer interface.