Distribution and Retailing 5 credits

In today's integrated global marketplace, getting products from manufacturers to end consumers requires sophisticated distribution networks that span multiple countries, cultures, and market structures. The rise of e-commerce, changing consumer expectations, and evolving retail landscapes have transformed how companies design and manage their distribution channels. Understanding these complex networks, and the strategic decisions behind them, has become essential for supply chain professionals seeking to create competitive advantage through effective channel management. This course explores the strategies, structures, and operational dynamics of global distribution channels. You will examine channel fundamentals, including the roles and strategic importance of various intermediaries in retailing and wholesaling formats. The course covers channel relationship management, logistics integration, and the coordination challenges inherent in moving goods across international borders. You will analyse how different industries and regions approach distribution challenges, using databases and real company cases to understand practical applications. Guest lectures from industry professionals provide insights into current distribution practices and emerging trends, connecting theoretical concepts to real-world decision-making. Upon completion, you will be able to analyse and compare global distribution strategies across different markets and industries. You will apply theoretical frameworks to evaluate strategic decisions regarding channel design, intermediary selection, and relationship management. Critically, you will assess the trade-offs and challenges in global distribution, enabling you to develop and recommend distribution strategies that align with organisational objectives while addressing the complexities of international market entry, channel conflict, and logistics coordination. **Connection to Research** The course Distribution and Retailing have its theoretical foundations in supply chain management and marketing. The course connects to the JIBS focus areas of renewal and ownership through readings, case work and project work in the course. **Connection to Practice** Practice connection is given through real company cases and guest lectures. **Connection to Ethics, Responsibility, Sustainability (ERS)** Ethics, Responsibility, and Sustainability (ERS) perspectives are embedded in the course through the analysis of global distribution channel structures, strategies, and relationships. Course content and case-based learning activities will support you in evaluating how distribution decisions, such as channel design, intermediary selection, and logistics integration, affect societal outcomes, environmental sustainability, and responsible business conduct in international markets. Through lectures, seminars, and case discussions, you will critically examine the responsibilities of firms and intermediaries within global supply chains, including issues related to transparency, fair practices, and environmental impacts. ERS perspectives are integrated into the assessment tasks, where you analyse real-world distribution strategies and propose solutions that consider both strategic effectiveness and responsible management in global distribution systems.