Power, Conflict, and Cooperation in Distribution Channels: Review of Organizational Dynamics School

Abstract

Even though the field of distribution channel has been studied over fifty years, the theme still provokes a fundamental questioning for scholars and professionals: How can a member of the distribution channel influence and cooperate with another member and then reach mutual gains? In order to answer this question, this work analyses the school of organizational dynamics and develops an integral vision concerning with the theory of power, conflict, and cooperation within distribution channels. The study presents definitions of power, conflict, and cooperation provided by behavioural sciences and assesses the main researches available in marketing literature. At the end, as there is not, until the moment, a consensual vision in the theory a conceptual and methodological reflexion is presented. The proposed reflexion aims to contribute to future scientific studies related to the referred theory.