Participation of SME distributors in the gray market: An empirical analysis of Spanish firms

[ENG] Within the distribution channels of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), the negotiating of agreements with official suppliers is critical for the performance of small and medium-sized (SME) distributors. These distributors are limited by their size and negotiating power, which is significantly...

ver descrição completa

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor: Gimeno Arias, Fernando
Tipo de documento: artigo
Data de publicação:2021
País:España
Recursos:Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena(UPCT)
Repositório:Repositorio Digital UPCT
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.upct.es:10317/9744
Acesso em linha:http://hdl.handle.net/10317/9744
https://sbir.upct.es/index.php/sbir/article/view/372
Access Level:Acceso aberto
Palavra-chave:Gray market
SME
Fast-moving consumer goods
Negotiation
Commitment
Mercado paralelo
PYME
Productos de gran consumo
Negociación
Compromiso
5311 Organización y Dirección de Empresas
M10
M20
M30
M31
M39
Descrição
Resumo:[ENG] Within the distribution channels of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), the negotiating of agreements with official suppliers is critical for the performance of small and medium-sized (SME) distributors. These distributors are limited by their size and negotiating power, which is significantly lower than that of their suppliers, leading them to seek alternative supply sources, such as that provided by the gray market. The participation of SME distributors in the gray market is not only conditioned by the negotiations with their oficial suppliers, but also by the role played by the size of the gray market and by the relationship with their suppliers. The literature shows very few studies into SMEs within this area of the distribution channel, so this article contributes an explanatory model of this phenomenon. Based on a sample of 181 Spanish distribution companies, our results confirm that negotiation is a favorable element, while granting limited importance to the role of the relationship. In addition, we find evidence of the key role of commitment between parties in a situation as peculiar as that of parallel marketing channels.