Sales and Distribution Management

PGP 2007-2009 Term 5

Faculty Dr. Avinash Mulky

B Wing-202, Extn. 3271

1. Course objectives:

• To provide participants with an understanding of the important role that the sales
and distribution activities can play in organizational success
• To highlight the major decision areas within sales and distribution and to provide
analytical frameworks and approaches that will facilitate decision making
• To provide an exposure to key concepts, theories and recent developments in
sales and distribution and to illustrate their applicability in tackling the challenges
in business
• To provide a foundation for continuous learning

2. Text Book

Venugopal, Pingali (2001) Marketing Channel Management: A Customer Centric

Approach, Response Books, New Delhi [PV]
3. Reference Book

Futrell, C.M. (2001) Sales Management, (6th ed), Thomson Learning, Delhi [CMF]

4. Readings
a) Assigned Readings and Cases
b) Additional Readings: Journal papers will be made available on request

5. Suggested Journals:
- Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management
- Industrial Marketing Management
-- Journal of Marketing
- Journal of Retailing

4. Evaluation

Quizzes 25%
Assignments 25%
Group Project 20%
 Final Examination 30%

5. Session Details:

DISTRIBUTION MANAGEMENT MODULE

Session 1
Topic Introduction to Distribution Channel Management
Lecture
Readings 1) Introduction- PV [Textbook]
2) Reinventing Distribution-M. S. Banga.

Sessions 2 & 3
Topic Channel Design
Lecture
Case: Goodyear: The Aquatred Launch
Readings 1) Chapters 4-6- P.V. [Textbook]
2) Stern, L.W., and Sturdivant, F.D. (1987) Customer driven
distribution systems, Harvard Business Review, Vol 65 (4), pp 34-41
3) Bucklin, L.P., Ramaswamy, V. and Mazumdar, S.K. (1996)
Analysing channel structures of business markets via the structure-
output paradigm, International Journal of Research in Marketing,
Vol 13, pp 73-87

Session 4
Topic Modern Retailing
Case Foodworld ( C)
Readings 1) Chapters 1-3 P.V. [Textbook]

Session 5
Topic Selective Distribution and Franchised channels
Cases 1) AOK Durables
2) Lakme Salons
Readings 1) Chapter 8-P.V. [Textbook]

Session 6
Topic Mass Distribution
Lecture
Readings 1) Reibstein, D.J., and Farris, P.W. (1993) Market share and
distribution: A generalization, Marketing Science, Vol 14, No.3 Part2
2) Olver, J.M. and Farris, P.W. (1989) Push and pull: A one two
punch for packaged products, Sloan Management Review, Fall 1989
3) Mulky, A (2005) Note on C&F Agents

Session 7

2
Topic Rural distribution
Case HLL: A new millenium
Readings 1) Retailer as a route to rural market-Sanal Kumar V
2) ITC E-Choupal

Session 8
Topic Positioning, power and conflict in channels
Case Consumer Products Co. (A)
Readings 1) Channel conflict- when is it dangerous. Bucklin et al, McKinsey
Quarterly

Session 9
Topic Evaluating, motivating and controlling channel members
Lecture
Readings 1) Chapters 9 and 10- P.V. [Textbook]
2) Gilliland, D.I., (2004) Designing channel incentives to overcome
rejection, Industrial Marketing Management, Vol.33, 87-95

Session 10
Topic Physical Distribution
Case Lubol India ( A)
Readings 1) Chapter 12-PV. [Textbook]
2) Lumsden, K. Dallari, F. and Ruggeri, R. ((1999) Improving the
efficiency of the hub and spoke system of the SKF European
distribution network, International Journal of Physical Distribution
and Logistics, Vol 29 No.1

Session 11
Topic Trade Promotion
Lecture
Readings 1) Ailawadi, K., Farris, P. and Shames, E. (1999) Trade promotion-
Essential in selling through retailers, Sloan Management Review,
Fall, 83-92
2) Chapter 11-PV[Textbook]

SALES MANAGEMENT MODULE

Session 12
Topic Introduction to Selling and Sales Management
Case Akili Systems Group
Readings 1) Selling as a systematic process
2) Sprint selling to close

Session 13
Topic Sales Management concepts
Lecture

3
Readings Chapter 1:CMF

Session 14
Topic Reengineering the sales process
Case Hewlett Packard: Computer Systems Organisation

Session 15
Topic Sales Force Organization
Case Syntex Laboratories ( A)
Readings 1) Chapter 4: CMF

Session 16
Topic Sales Territory Design
Lecture
Readings 1) Chapter 6 : CMF
2) Zoltners, A.A. and Lorimer, S.E. (2000) Sales territory alignment:
An overlooked productivity tool, Journal of Personal Selling and
Sales Management, Vol XX No. 3, 139-150

Session 17
Topic Selection of sales persons
Case Coral India Ltd.
Readings 1) Chapters 8 and 9: CMF
1) Randall, J. E. and Randall, C.H. (2001) A current review of hiring
techniques for sales personnel, Journal of Marketing Theory and
Practice, Spring, 70-82
2) Cook, R.A. and Herche, J. (1992) Assessment Centers: An
Untapped Resource For Global Salesforce Management, Journal of
Personal Selling and Sales Management,Vol 12 No.3, 31-37

Session 18
Topic Sales Training
Case Ajax Ltd.
Readings 1) Chapters 10 and 11; CMF

Session 19
Topic Evaluating sales personnel
Case Kramer Pharmaceuticals
Readings 1) Chapter 16: CMF
2) Gentry, J.W., Mowen, J.C. and Tasaki, L. (1991) Salesperson
evaluation: A systematic structure for reducing judgmental biases,
Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, Vol. 11 No.2,
27-38

Session 20

4
Topic Ethical Leadership in Sales
Case Dave McDonald’s Ethical Dilemnas
Readings 1) Chapter 2 : CMF
2) McLaren, N. (2000) Ethics in personal selling and sales
management: A review of the literature focusing on empirical
findings and conceptual foundations, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol.
27, 285-303

Session 21
Topic Guest Lecture: Applying the frameworks
Name of Speaker to be indicated

Session 22
Topic Course Review