The impact of health care provider market served on health care channel relationships.
A conceptual framework is provided in which manufacturer-wholesaler relationships are addressed in the context of the health care provider segment served by the wholesaler. A study of the medical supply channel demonstrates how the particular market served by the wholesaler shapes the manufacturer-wholesaler relationship along the behavioral dimensions of manifest conflict, coercion, satisfaction and openness of communications. The health care provider segment served was found to have a significant impact on these dimensions. The results of this research suggest that channel member strategies, policies and operating procedures must account for variations in input (supply) and output (market) environments.
Smith
M F
MF
School of Business and Management, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122.
Pirog
S F
SF
D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics*; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003625:Data Collection; D004777:Environment; D004864:Equipment and Supplies / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D008421:Materials Management, Hospital; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011216:Practice Management, Medical; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013597:Systems Analysis; D014481:United States