市場(chǎng)營(yíng)銷渠道分析中英文對(duì)照外文翻譯文獻(xiàn)

中英文對(duì)照外文翻譯文獻(xiàn)(文檔含英文原文和中文翻譯)譯文：營(yíng)銷渠道的環(huán)境特性摘要：由斯特恩和瑞文(1980)提出的比較分析營(yíng)銷渠道特性的政治經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)框架主要集中于渠道成員之間的關(guān)系。這篇文章通過指明環(huán)境因素如何影響渠道擴(kuò)展了政治經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)的框架與斯特恩和瑞文原文結(jié)合，為研究營(yíng)銷渠道的區(qū)域綜合性基礎(chǔ)理論提供了更為廣泛的基礎(chǔ)。關(guān)鍵詞：營(yíng)銷渠道，成員，環(huán)境因素根據(jù)比較分析營(yíng)銷渠道特性的政治經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)框架，我們可以就其內(nèi)部的經(jīng)濟(jì)(如內(nèi)部經(jīng)濟(jì)結(jié)構(gòu)和流程),它的內(nèi)部政治,即內(nèi)部的社會(huì)政治結(jié)和過程，內(nèi)部經(jīng)濟(jì)結(jié)構(gòu)可以說是連接兩個(gè)交易渠道成員的交易形式。例如,任何雙邊關(guān)系的垂直經(jīng)濟(jì)安排，從市場(chǎng)調(diào)節(jié)到分等級(jí)的交易。由內(nèi)部的社會(huì)政治結(jié)構(gòu)內(nèi)力確定兩個(gè)渠道成員的權(quán)利依賴關(guān)系模式定義，從最小權(quán)利到平衡權(quán)利到不平衡權(quán)利再到集中權(quán)利。內(nèi)部的社會(huì)政治過程就主導(dǎo)情緒(例如,合作和/或沖突)進(jìn)行了描述。就如列出政治經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)框架的文章所說，去完成這個(gè)框架的剩下任務(wù)就是去識(shí)別交換的內(nèi)部動(dòng)力以外的變量和影響因素，就是對(duì)環(huán)境特征的結(jié)構(gòu)和過程有著最大影響力的因素，并且指出這些外部的因素是如何以理論的形式被組織的。渠道環(huán)境的重要性沒有被研究渠道的理論和研究方法很好的反應(yīng)出來。那些可能影響外部渠道的決定，外部環(huán)境因素已經(jīng)有了相關(guān)參考資料，但是缺乏對(duì)外部變量和其影響進(jìn)行深入調(diào)查。本文提出了環(huán)境的框架可以加上處理框架與地方之間的相互作用。然而在進(jìn)行下一步之前，一些變量和預(yù)覽可以避免讀者理解和欣賞的局限性，我們?cè)噲D最大限度的占領(lǐng)所有的關(guān)鍵環(huán)境變量。本文提出了一種框架,而不是一個(gè)理論。一個(gè)框架可以被看作是第一步在識(shí)別主要變量影響社會(huì)過程的實(shí)體，它主要是試圖把變量和實(shí)體互動(dòng)。所以這個(gè)框架不是理論，準(zhǔn)確地說，它的目的是幫助個(gè)人研究，以便他們能在一個(gè)系統(tǒng)和特定的方向出現(xiàn)一個(gè)占主導(dǎo)地位的理論。這里將介紹框架之上的六種基本宗旨，(a)雙方或“配對(duì)”的交流所代表的事物分析的基本結(jié)構(gòu)單位;(b)環(huán)境感知差距對(duì)焦點(diǎn)可以分段在小學(xué)和中學(xué)的任務(wù)環(huán)境和一個(gè)宏觀環(huán)境;(c)小學(xué)次要任務(wù)環(huán)境感知差距可以被劃分為輸入、輸出、競(jìng)爭(zhēng)和監(jiān)管部門;(d)原有政治經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)框架可應(yīng)用于研究焦點(diǎn)之間主要任務(wù)特性環(huán)境的相互作用;(e)次要環(huán)境最能夠描述某些“定性”維度配對(duì)如何影響交流;(f)通過發(fā)展自己關(guān)注的焦點(diǎn)和二次任務(wù)的感知差距對(duì)環(huán)境描述顯現(xiàn)宏觀環(huán)境的影響。一系列說明性的命題均包括在如何提供一些線索框架可能用來預(yù)測(cè)的潛在來源。這篇文章一直保持在一個(gè)無所不包、范圍極其寬廣的目的框架。雖然犧牲了細(xì)節(jié)和一些只有被暗示或引用的概念，但客觀上大功告成。一個(gè)環(huán)境不確定性如何在營(yíng)銷渠道雙邊關(guān)系中影響交易環(huán)境的主張是：P1:營(yíng)銷渠道雙邊關(guān)系的目標(biāo)環(huán)境的輸入和輸出的不確定性越高，對(duì)于提高調(diào)和雙邊關(guān)系水平所要做出的努力就越大。力量均衡。最初增加了的協(xié)調(diào)性對(duì)于渠道成員來說能夠更加有效的應(yīng)對(duì)和吸收外部的不確定性。似乎在經(jīng)濟(jì)的進(jìn)程中雙邊調(diào)停在力量均衡的改變上改變了。一個(gè)個(gè)體在面對(duì)高不確定性時(shí)會(huì)轉(zhuǎn)向依靠能夠有效的應(yīng)對(duì)外部不確定性的個(gè)體。同樣地，如Pfeffer和Salancik所說，在整個(gè)系統(tǒng)中一種資源有效性的評(píng)論越多，那種資源供應(yīng)的不確定性越大，限制使用這種資源的可能性也就越大。當(dāng)對(duì)輸入和輸出環(huán)境不能直接控制時(shí)，通過精致的信息系統(tǒng)發(fā)展監(jiān)督目標(biāo)環(huán)境來達(dá)到類似的控制效果。這樣一個(gè)不確定的輸入和輸出環(huán)境信息系統(tǒng)的成功發(fā)展在組織管理系統(tǒng)時(shí)會(huì)改變渠道雙邊關(guān)系的權(quán)利結(jié)構(gòu)。P2：較高的不確定性,在輸入或輸出的任務(wù)環(huán)境部門的營(yíng)銷渠道框架越大,提高水平的垂直全局協(xié)調(diào)差距也越難。權(quán)力平衡。協(xié)調(diào)是提高垂直通道啟動(dòng)的參與者能應(yīng)付更有效的吸收和控制不確定性(?？松璭tal.1971年)。因此看來,改變力量平衡(政治結(jié)構(gòu))的差距居中調(diào)停,應(yīng)該先于改變經(jīng)濟(jì)進(jìn)程。單位面臨高度不確定性將變得越來越依賴于單元,可以更有效地應(yīng)對(duì)不確定性下的焦點(diǎn)。同時(shí),正如普費(fèi)弗和Salancik(1978)觀察,更重要的是對(duì)環(huán)境資源的營(yíng)銷渠道框架:一個(gè)框架有效運(yùn)作整個(gè)系統(tǒng)用于比較分析和更多不確定該資源的供給,更有可能是各國(guó)將努力使該資源的可用性控制。當(dāng)直接控制的輸入或輸出環(huán)境是根本不可能達(dá)到的,近似控制可以通過開發(fā)一個(gè)精心制作的信息系統(tǒng)來監(jiān)控相關(guān)行業(yè)的任務(wù)環(huán)境。成功開發(fā)這樣一個(gè)信息系統(tǒng)對(duì)不穩(wěn)定的輸入或輸出的環(huán)境可以改變權(quán)力結(jié)構(gòu)渠道框架中贊成方的管理系統(tǒng)。P3：根據(jù)環(huán)境的不確定性，方向變化中渠道雙邊的力量平衡是由它的成員是否能夠應(yīng)對(duì)資源的不確定性而決定。此外，該方向在力量變化上也決定集中化的方向規(guī)劃、協(xié)調(diào)和決策過程。觀點(diǎn)P1通過P3的探索，投入產(chǎn)出的不確定性會(huì)對(duì)intradyadic行為產(chǎn)生影響。類似的協(xié)調(diào)可能會(huì)發(fā)生在渠道雙邊的邊界。例如，向前或向后縱向協(xié)調(diào)。協(xié)調(diào)行動(dòng)的方向取決于不確定性出現(xiàn)在哪個(gè)部門。P4；營(yíng)銷渠道的雙邊關(guān)系的輸入或輸出部門的不確定性越高，雙邊關(guān)系和其他渠道成員間建立的聯(lián)系就越緊密。如果不確定性出現(xiàn)在輸入方面，就要嘗試向后縱向協(xié)調(diào)。P4是延伸了湯普森的論點(diǎn)，即組織通過他們最依賴的環(huán)境中的元素找尋力量。外形不確定性可能會(huì)減少使用承包、鎮(zhèn)壓或合并，所有這一切會(huì)使組織之間加強(qiáng)協(xié)調(diào)。垂直權(quán)利下方。如果級(jí)別沖突阻撓有效形成的區(qū)域和extradyadic協(xié)調(diào)機(jī)制，并且仍存在不確定性，合體就很可能分散或移動(dòng)"寬松"的關(guān)系。這通常意味著，分銷商將會(huì)減少對(duì)最初的雙邊合作伙伴的依賴，生產(chǎn)商也會(huì)開始雇傭多個(gè)渠道的分銷商來減少他們的依賴性。P5：如果在輸入、輸出部門的不確定性環(huán)境下不能被吸收、協(xié)調(diào)或者應(yīng)對(duì)，功能失調(diào)的水平?jīng)_突將會(huì)升級(jí)，同時(shí)雙邊關(guān)系也可能會(huì)變?yōu)?寬松"的關(guān)系。不明朗因素所產(chǎn)生的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)和監(jiān)管部門可能會(huì)被認(rèn)為是側(cè)向力對(duì)渠道雙邊產(chǎn)生影響。水平競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的不確定性可以定義的一些影響列示在圖2中。例如，競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手越多，他們的能力越強(qiáng)，競(jìng)爭(zhēng)越激烈，雙邊關(guān)系競(jìng)爭(zhēng)部門的不確定性就越高，除此之外，其他條件都是相同的。有關(guān)理論允許微調(diào)投入產(chǎn)出分析中產(chǎn)生的命題的不確定性。例如，P1表明的不確定性因素會(huì)增加渠道雙邊關(guān)系的沖突情緒。另一方面，橫向競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的不確定性實(shí)際上可能會(huì)為渠道雙邊帶來更少?zèng)_突和更多合作的情緒。競(jìng)爭(zhēng)威脅很可能使渠道雙方將目標(biāo)轉(zhuǎn)向共同的敵人，從行為科學(xué)研究來看他是著名的，是更具凝聚力的。P6：營(yíng)銷渠道雙邊關(guān)系工作環(huán)境中競(jìng)爭(zhēng)部門的不確定性越高，雙邊關(guān)系合作的水平就越高。從不同的角度看，處理競(jìng)爭(zhēng)中的不確定性可以滿足渠道雙邊關(guān)系任務(wù)環(huán)境部門的兩個(gè)類型的渠道戰(zhàn)略。一種策略是通過增加垂直整合以滿足競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的挑戰(zhàn)，至少也能使凝聚力增強(qiáng)。一個(gè)行業(yè)中現(xiàn)存的公司可以通過（1）協(xié)調(diào)來控制原材料以減少競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的不確定性，比如說礦和油；（2）協(xié)調(diào)并提前聯(lián)系零售銷路，比如說選擇加油點(diǎn)；（3）要與營(yíng)銷渠道的最終消費(fèi)者緊密相連，比如關(guān)注健康運(yùn)送系統(tǒng)。另一種可用的策略是競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者搜尋合作的機(jī)會(huì)，即使有時(shí)公共的政策會(huì)束縛競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者之間合作的實(shí)現(xiàn)，有智慧的人也能找到克服這種限制的辦法。然而，后一個(gè)策略是更有價(jià)值的，因?yàn)樗岢隽艘郧离p方自治的行為標(biāo)準(zhǔn)、規(guī)范來對(duì)抗競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的限制。P7：如果營(yíng)銷渠道雙邊關(guān)系的工作環(huán)境在競(jìng)爭(zhēng)部門的不確定性不能被直接協(xié)調(diào)吸收，那每一個(gè)渠道水平都應(yīng)該和競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者建立較緊密的聯(lián)系。輸入、輸出以及競(jìng)爭(zhēng)部門的不確定性可能會(huì)使渠道成員在雙邊交換中采用新的策略來增加他的力量。但是這種力量的相繼使用以及雙邊的教唆也會(huì)經(jīng)常受到特殊法律及規(guī)范的約束。一般來說，處理規(guī)范的部門時(shí)應(yīng)付不確定性，操控外部的依賴可能在面對(duì)渠道雙邊關(guān)系時(shí)有一個(gè)評(píng)論的范圍。在圖表2中來自規(guī)范化的部門的不確定性可以被定義為列示出來的可變性。因此，雙邊環(huán)境中的可變的、集中的、不同的規(guī)范組織越多，規(guī)范環(huán)境的不確定性可能就越大。如果規(guī)范的確定性和不確定性被認(rèn)定為是規(guī)范能力來規(guī)范和約束它的確切事情，那么不確定性對(duì)于雙邊行為的影響很可能在輸入、輸出和競(jìng)爭(zhēng)部門都是不同的。這是因?yàn)榄h(huán)境壓力對(duì)于威脅的協(xié)調(diào)和綜合的回應(yīng)在不遵守事件中可能起到發(fā)現(xiàn)和準(zhǔn)許的作用。如果由于不同的和可變的規(guī)范化的環(huán)境成為不確定的，渠道成員在規(guī)范和沖突需求之間最好冒不必要的險(xiǎn)。P8：規(guī)范化環(huán)境越確定，回應(yīng)規(guī)范化需求的合作、協(xié)調(diào)、整合雙邊行為的可能性就越大。然而，營(yíng)銷渠道雙邊關(guān)系不是消極的接受他們工作環(huán)境中的規(guī)范部門的勢(shì)力。限制渠道活動(dòng)的規(guī)范化壓力和行為通常被渠道雙邊關(guān)系的政治行為和政黨聯(lián)合行為反對(duì)。規(guī)范化環(huán)境越不確定，有效地橫向協(xié)調(diào)和政治行為的機(jī)會(huì)就越多。P9：在規(guī)范的不確定性下，營(yíng)銷渠道雙方會(huì)對(duì)他們的工作環(huán)境的輸入、輸出和競(jìng)爭(zhēng)部門漸漸感興趣。工作環(huán)境的一個(gè)部門的組織會(huì)衍生出工作環(huán)境中其他部門的組織來面對(duì)外部的不確定性。這種現(xiàn)象可以解釋為補(bǔ)償力量，但是在那種市場(chǎng)社會(huì)化、社會(huì)控制政治經(jīng)濟(jì)利益的多元論者的社會(huì)中也可以被看作是一種正常的現(xiàn)象。當(dāng)規(guī)范化在性質(zhì)上占主導(dǎo)地位時(shí)，以規(guī)范化為目標(biāo)的成員會(huì)通過規(guī)范的交換關(guān)系直接影響規(guī)范機(jī)構(gòu)。在大多數(shù)國(guó)家中，這種交換關(guān)系似乎越來越普遍了。P10：如果營(yíng)銷渠道雙邊關(guān)系的工作環(huán)境的規(guī)范化部門的不確定性不能被聯(lián)合行為吸收，營(yíng)銷渠道雙方就會(huì)與規(guī)范化機(jī)構(gòu)建立更緊密的聯(lián)系。結(jié)論SternandReve提出的營(yíng)銷渠道的比較分析政治經(jīng)濟(jì)框架是以渠道雙邊關(guān)系的內(nèi)部互動(dòng)為核心的。在這篇文章中，最初的框架是考慮了環(huán)境因素對(duì)雙方的結(jié)構(gòu)和過程的影響。由于與其相關(guān)的一些概念化的和方法論化的難題，尤其是在一些以經(jīng)驗(yàn)為根據(jù)的研究中，后一話題被大大的忽視了。但令人充滿希望的是，在這篇文章中這個(gè)被改進(jìn)了的框架將會(huì)使這個(gè)話題更易駕馭、更易理解。在此已提出環(huán)境可分為初級(jí)、二級(jí)以及宏觀環(huán)境，更進(jìn)一步可分為輸入、輸出、競(jìng)爭(zhēng)性的和規(guī)范化的部分。初級(jí)環(huán)境中的成員是直接交換的雙方。這種互動(dòng)形式下，SternandReve的政治經(jīng)濟(jì)框架是適用的。但由非交換因素引起的外部力量卻需要一個(gè)更高水平的理論研究。這篇文章已經(jīng)指出，宏觀組織行為的范例對(duì)概念和理論的應(yīng)用在研究其他外部力量對(duì)雙邊行為的影響上似乎是有用的。這篇文章以不確定的概念為例，其解說性的主張是先進(jìn)的。在某種意義上，這篇文章所提出的論題可能不是最新穎的。但期望那些對(duì)組織理論熟悉的讀者也能對(duì)文章中提出的一些概念和一些無爭(zhēng)議的主張感到熟悉。這個(gè)框架的目的不是為了令人大吃一驚，而是將一些相對(duì)有進(jìn)步的觀點(diǎn)與特定的營(yíng)銷渠道文章緊密的結(jié)合起來并能使其能夠被全面的理解。從這一點(diǎn)來看，在內(nèi)部政治經(jīng)濟(jì)框架的交點(diǎn)處應(yīng)該會(huì)看到他的初步貢獻(xiàn)。按照其主張，注意力應(yīng)該放在環(huán)境力量對(duì)渠道雙邊關(guān)系的結(jié)構(gòu)和進(jìn)程的影響上，很明顯這是因?yàn)橥ǔＱ芯康淖罱K目的是提出更加有效的處理營(yíng)銷渠道關(guān)系方法。通過對(duì)這些關(guān)系的管理，雙邊的能力將會(huì)得到提高。這個(gè)全面的框架與SternandReve先前提出的相結(jié)合可以用來解決與渠道能力有關(guān)的很多尚未解決的問題。比如說，高水平的環(huán)境不確定性最終導(dǎo)致其協(xié)調(diào)性增加，那么這種協(xié)調(diào)會(huì)采取哪種形式，怎么完成這種協(xié)調(diào)才能達(dá)到最佳的效果呢？那種力量失衡、沖突頻繁的協(xié)商和討價(jià)還價(jià)等類似的市場(chǎng)交易會(huì)更好嗎？還是說轉(zhuǎn)向那種集權(quán)但沖突會(huì)降低的分等級(jí)的交易形式比較好呢？同樣地，在看待環(huán)境狀況和管理機(jī)制之間的互動(dòng)上提出的重要問題可以用來控制和管理雙邊關(guān)系中的沖突問題。事實(shí)上，一個(gè)全面的、錯(cuò)綜復(fù)雜的框架只是一個(gè)地圖。它只不過是指出了一個(gè)人到達(dá)目的地的很多條路線，但是它卻沒說明沿路的一些障礙和不同道路可獲得的一些益處。這就是理論所扮演的角色。但令人充滿希望的是，這個(gè)框架以參考和協(xié)調(diào)結(jié)構(gòu)為目的進(jìn)行了有效的理論考查。因此，這個(gè)成果在應(yīng)用框架將結(jié)構(gòu)和進(jìn)程與能力聯(lián)系起來的做法是一個(gè)相對(duì)小但卻必要的一步。當(dāng)然，這個(gè)領(lǐng)域還必須繼續(xù)前進(jìn)，增進(jìn)其管理適用性，這是一個(gè)較有力的挑戰(zhàn)。TheEnvironmentofMarketingChannel:AFrameworkforComparativeAnalysisACCORDINGtothepoliticaleconomyframeworkforthecomparativeanalysisofmarketingchannels(StemandReve1980),amarketingchanneldyadcanbeanalyzedintermsof(1)itsintemaleconomy,i.e.,theintemaleconomicstructureandprocesses,and(2)itsintemalpolity,i.e.,theintemalsociopoliticalstructureandprocesses.Theintemaleconomicstructureisdescribedbythetypeoftransactionalformlinkingtwochannelmembers,i.e.,theverticaleconomicarrangementswithinanygivendyad,rangingfix)mmarketmediatedtohierarchicaltransactions.Theintemaleconomicprocessesrefertothenatureofthedecisionmechanismsemployedtodeterminetermsoftradeamongthemembersofthedyad,coveringimpersonalandroutinedecisionmaking,bargaining,andcentralizedplanningprocesses.RaviSinghAchrolisVisitingAssistantProfessorofMarketing,UniversityofNotreDame,anddoctoralcandidate,NorthwesternUniversity.TorgerandReveisResearchProfessorofOrganizationTheory,NorwegianSchoolofEconomicsandBusinessAdministration,andvisitingscholar,StanfordUniversity.LouisW.SternisA.MontgomeryWardProfessorofMarketing,Northv^resternUniversity.Theauthorsgratefullyacknowledgethecontributionsoftwoanonymousreviewerstothedevelopmentofthisarticle.JournalofMarketingTheEnvironmentofMarketingChannelDyads:AFrameworkforCoitiparativeAnalysis.Theintemalsociopoliticalstructureisdefinedbythepattemofpower-dependencerelationswhichexistbetweenanytwochannelmembers,rangingfromminimalpower,throughbalancedpower,toimbalancedandcentralizedpower..Theintema!sociopoliticalprocessesaredescribedintermsofthedominantsentiments(e.g.,cooperationand/orconflict)withinthedyad.Asindicatedintheoriginalarticleoutliningthepoliticaleconomyframework,thetasksremainingtocompletetheframeworkwere(1)toidentifytheinteractionsandvariablesoutsideoftheintemaldynamicsofdyadicexchange,whichhavethegreatestinfluenceonthestructureandprocessesofadyad,and(2)tosuggesthowtheseextemalfactorsmightbeorganizedintheoreticallyilluminatingways.Thesignificanceofachannel'senvironmentisnotwell-reflectedintheliteratureonchanneltheoryandresearch.Referenceshavebeenmadetoextemalconditionsaspossibledeterminantsofchannelstructure(e.g.,BucklinandCarman1974,Sturdivant1966),butexplicitinvestigationsintothenatureofextemalvariablesandtheirimpactsarelacking.Evenamongthoserareinquiries(e.g.,Etgar1977),thefindingsonlyseemtosharpenconsciousnessofhowfragmentarycurrentknowledgeofenvironmentalimpactsremains.Thisarticlesuggestsanenvironmentalframeworkwhichcanbecoupledwiththeearlierframeworkdealingwithintemalinteractions.Beforeproceeding,however,afewcaveatsandpreviewsmayassistthereaderinmakingsenseandappreciatingthelimitationsofourattempttocaptureallofthecriticalenvironmentalvariableswithintheconfinesofasinglearticleoflimitedlength.1.Thisarticleproposesaframework,notatheory.Aframeworkcanbeviewedasafirststepinthedirectionofidentifyinganddimensionalizingthemajorvariablesinfluencingandorderingthestructureandprocessesofsocialentities.Itisprimarilyanattempttolayoutthevariablesandtochartafieldofinteraction.Assuch,aframeworkmakesnopretensionofbeingatheory.Rather,itspurposeistohelppositionindividualresearchessothattheycanproceedinasystematicandmethodicalfashiontowardtheemergenceofadominanttheoreticalparadigm(seeZaltman,LeMasters,andHeffring1982).2.Theframeworkpresentedhererestsonsixbasictenets;(a)two-partyor"dyadic"exchangerepresentsthefundamentalunitofanalysis;(b)theenvironmentofafocaldyadcanbesectionedintoprimaryandsecondarytaskenvironmentsandamacroenvironment;(c)theprimaryandsecondarytaskenvironmentsofafocaldyadcanbepartitionedintoinput,output,competitive,andregulatorysectors;(d)theoriginalpoliticaleconomyframeworkcanbedirectlyappliedtostudyinginteractionsbetweenfocaldyadsandtheirprimarytaskenvironments;(e)thesecondarytaskenvironmentcanbestbedescribedintermsofcertain"qualitative"dimensionswhichimpactdyadicexchange;and(f)macroenvironmentalinfluencesmanifestthemselvesthroughdevelopmentsinafocaldyad'ssecondarytaskenvironment.3.Aseriesofillustrativepropositionsareincludedtoprovidesomecluesabouthowthisframeworkmightbeusedforpossiblepredictions,andtoindicatepotentialsourcesoftheory.4.Inkeepingwiththeobjectiveofanencompassingframework,therangeofthearticleisextremelybroad.Theobjectivehasbeenaccomplishedattheexpenseofdetail,andsometopicshaveonlybeenhintedatorreferenced.Laterinthisarticle,welayoutthegeneralschematicdimensionsoftheproposedframeworkandthedefmitionsonwhichitsstructurerests.ThenwediscussthevariabledimensionsweproposeasmostuseAnillustrativepropositionofhowenvironmentaluncertaintytendstoinfluencethetransactionclimateorsentimentswithinmarketingchanneldyadsis;P1：Thehighertheuncertaintyintheinputoroutputsectorsofthetaskenvironmentofmarketingchanneldyads,thehigheristhelevelofconflictwithinthedyad.Coordination.Whiledyadsentimentsmayregisterthefirsteffects,thenextmostlikelyeffectwouldbetoalterthewayinwhichdyadrelationshipsareorganized.Marketingchanneldyads,likeorganizations(cf.Thompson1967),tendtoprotectthemselvesfromextemaluncertainty.Onewayofbeingbetterabletohandleextemaluncertaintyisbybeingbetterorganized.Thesituationofhighextemaluncertaintyismetbybetterplanning,morecoordinatedactions,andhighercompetitivestrength.Intermsofadynamic,itwouldbepredictedthatasuncertaintyincreased,effortstowardsincreasingthelevelofverticalcoordinationwouldbemadebyoneorbothparties.Sucheffortsmightbereflectedintermsofthefrequencyandintensityofinteraction,andthedegreeofformalization/standardizationofdyadicprocedures,etc.P2：Thehighertheuncertaintyintheinputoroutputsectorsofthetaskenvironmentofmarketingchanneldyads,thegreatertheeffortstowardsincreasingthelevelofverticalcoordinationwithinthedyad.PowerBalances.Increasedverticalcoordinationisinitiatedbythechannelactorthatisabletocopemoreeffectivelywithorabsorbtheextemaluncertainty(Hicksonetal.1971).Thusitseemsthatchangesinthepowerbalances(politicalstructure)ofthedyadmediate(and,therefore,shouldprecede)changesineconomicprocesses.Theunitfacingahighdegreeofuncertaintywillbecomeincreasinglydependentontheunitthatcanmoreeffectivelycopewiththeextemaluncertaintyunderfocus.Also,asPfefferandSalancik(1978)observe,themorecriticalaresourceistotheEnvironmentofMarketingChannelDyads:AFrameworkforComparativeAnalysis/63effectivefunctioningoftheentiresystem,andthemoreuncertainthesupplyofthatresource,themorelikelythateffortswillbemadetocontroltheavailabilityofthatresource.Whendirectcontroloftheinputoroutputenvironmentisimpossibletoattain,approximationtocontrolcanbeachievedthroughthedevelopmentofanelaborateinformationsystemtomonitortherelevantsectorsofthetaskenvironment.Thesuccessfuldevelopmentofsuchaninformationsystemaboutuncertaininputoroutputenvironmentscanalterthepowerstructureinchanneldyadsinfavorofthepartyadministeringthesystem.P3：Underenvironmentaluncertainty,thedirectionofthechangeinthepowerbalanceofchanneldyadsisdeterminedbywhichmemberisabletocopewiththesourcesofuncertainty(thusabsorbingitonbehalfoftheother).Further,thedirectionofchangeinpoweralsodeterminesthedirectionofcentralizationofplanning,coordination,anddecisionprocesses(economicprocesses).ExtradyadicCoordination.PropositionsP,throughP3exploretheeffectsofuncertaintyininput-outputsectorsonintradyadicbehaviors.Similarcoordinativeactionsmaytakeplaceatthechanneldyadboundaries,i.e.,forwardorbackwardverticalcoordination.Thedirectionofthecoordinativeactionsdepends,itissuggested,onthesectorinwhichthecriticaluncertaintyarises.P4：Thehighertheuncertaintyintheinputoroutputsectorsofthetaskenvironmentofmarketingchanneldyads,thecloseraretheverticallinkagesestablishedbetweenthedyadandotherchannelactors.Ifuncertaintyarisesintheinputsector,backwardverticalcoordinationisattempted.Ifuncertaintyarisesintheoutputsector,forwardverticalcoordinationisattempted.TherationalebehindpropositionP4isgivenbyextendingThompson's(1967)argumentsthatorganizationsseekpoweroverthoseelementsintheirtaskenvironmentonwhichtheyaremostdependent.Extemaluncertaintymaybereducedthroughtheuseofcontracting,co-opting,orcoalescing,allresultinginincreasedcoordinationbetweenorganizations.VerticalDecentralization.Ifthelevelofconflict(oropportunisticbehavior;seeWilliamson1975)thwartseffectiveformationofintra-andextradyadiccoordinatingmechanisms,andifuncertaintycontinues,thenthedyadislikelytodecentralizeormoveto"looser"relationships.Thistypicallymeansthatdistributors(wholesalers,retailers)willbegintowidenanddifferentiatethemselves(throughtheadditionordeletionofproducts,services,andgeographicterritories),therebyreducingtheirdependenceontheoriginaldyadicpartner,andthatproducerswillbegintoemploymultiplechannels,comprisedofavarietyofdistributors,soastoreducetheirdependencyaswell.P5：Ifuncertaintyininput-outputsectorsoftheenvironmentcannotbeabsorbedbyverticalintegration/coordinationor"coping"strategies,thelevelofdysfunctionalconflictwillescalate,andthedyadislikelytomovetoa"looser"relationship.IllustrativePropositions:CompetitiveandRegulatorySectorsUncertaintiesemanatingfromthecompetitiveandregulatorysectorsmaybethoughtofaslateralforcesimpactingthechanneldyad.ThelevelofcompetitiveuncertaintycanbedefinedintermsofsomeofthedimensionslistedinFigure2.Forexample,themoreheterogeneousthecompetitorsandthegreatertheircapacity(sizeandresources),andthemoreintermediatethelevelofcompetitiveconcentration(seePfefferandSalancik1978,p.124),thehighertheuncertaintygeneratedbythecompetitivesectorofadyad'snvironment,allotherthingsbeingequal.Theorypertainingtothesedimensionspermitsfinetuningthebasicpropositionsthatariseoutofanalysisofinput-outputuncertainties.Forexample,propositionPjsuggeststhatverticaluncertaintiesincreaseconflictivesentimentsinchanneldyads.Ontheotherhand,lateralcompetitiveuncertaintiesmayinfactleadtolessconflictiveandmorecooperativesentimentswithinthechanneldyad.Competitivethreatsarelikelytomakethechanneldyadmorecooperativebecausesuchthreatsareusuallyperceivedasmovesfromacommonenemy.Itisawell-knownfindingfrombehavioralscienceresearchthatthemorestressfultheintergroupconflict,themorecohesiveandintegratedthein-groupsbecome.P6：Thehighertheuncertaintyinthecompetitivesectorofthetaskenvironmentofmarketingchanneldyads,thehigheristhelevelofcooperationwithinthedyad.Dealingwithincreaseduncertaintyincompetitivesectorsofthetaskenvironmentcanbemetbytwotypesofchannelstrategies,asseenfromtheviewpointofchanneldyads.Onestrategyistomeetcompetitivechallengesthroughincreasedverticalintegrationor,atleast,betterverticalcohesion.Existingfirmsinanindustrycansubstantiallydecreasecompetitiveuncertaintyby(1)coordinatingorintegratingbackwardstocontrolsourcesofrawmaterials,suchasmineralsandoil;(2)coordinatingorintegratingfor64/JournalofMarketing,Fall1983wardtotieupretailoutlets,suchasbuyingupofchoicegasolinesites;and(3)linkingfmalcustomersmoretightlytothemarketingchannel,suchasinhealthcaredeliverysystems(Aldrich1979,Scherer1980).Theotherstrategyavailableistoforgecooperativearrangementswithcompetitors.Eventhoughpublicpolicymaysometimesbeimplementedtorestraincooperativeeffortsamongcompetitors,intelligentactorswillalwaysfindwaystopartlyovercometherestrictionsimposed.Thelatterstrategyis,however,seenasmorecostly,giventhedrivetowardchanneldyadautonomyandtheprevailingnormsandregulationsagainstrestrictionsofcompetition,atleastintheU.S.P7：Iftheuncertaintyinthecompetitivesectorofthetaskenvironmentofmarketingchanneldyadscannotbeabsorbedbyverticalcoordination,closerlinkagesareestablishedwithcompetitorsateachchannellevel.Uncertaintiesintheinput,output,andcompetitivesectorsmayleadachannelactortodevisestrategiestoenhanceitspowerindyadicexchanges.Butthesubsequentuseofthispoweranddyadicsubordinationtoitareoftencircumscribedbyregulationintheformofspecificlawsand/ornormativeconstraints.Ingeneral,indealingwiththeregulatorysector,copingwithuncertaintyandhandlingexternaldependenciesare,onceagain,likelytobecriticaldimensionsconfrontingchanneldyads.TheuncertaintyemanatingfromtheregulatorysectorcanbedefinedintermsofsomeofthevariableslistedinFigure1.Thus,themorevariable,concentrated,andheterogeneoustheregulatoryorganizationsinadyad'senvironment,themoreuncertaintheregulatoryenvironmentislikelytobe.Ifregulatorycertainty-uncertaintyisdefinedintermsofcertaintyandclarityoftheregulator'sabilitytoimposetheregulationandpoliceit,theeffectsofuncertaintyondyadicbehaviorarelikelytobedifferentfromthoseproposedfortheinput,output,andcompetitivesectors.Thisisbecausetheenvironmentalpressureforverticallycoordinatedandintegratedresponsetoregulatorythreatislikelytobeadirectfunctionofthecertaintyofdiscoveryandsanctionintheeventofnoncompliance.Iftheregulatoryenvironmentisuncertainbecauseofheterogeneousandvariableregulators,channelmemberscanbetterrisknoncomplianceaswellasdefendthemselvesbytradingoffbetweenregulatorsandtheirconflictingdemands.P8：Themorecertaintheregulatoryenvironment,themorecooperative,coordinated,andintegrateddyadbehaviorbecomesinresponsetoregulatorydemands.However,marketingchanneldyadsarenotpassiverecipientsofforcesintheregulatorysectoroftheirtaskenvironment.Regulatorypressureandactionswhichrestrictchannelactivity(cfMitnick1980)areusuallycounteredbypoliticalactionsandcoalitionbehaviorbychanneldyads.Themoreuncertaintheregulatoryenvironment,themoreopportunitythereisforeffectivehorizontalcoordinationandpoliticalaction.P9：Underregulatoryuncertainty,marketingchanneldyadstendtoenterintointerestcoalitionswithactorsintheinput,output,andcompetitivesectorsoftheirtaskenvironment,tocounteruncertaintyintheregulatorysector.Organizationinonesectorofthetaskenvironment(e.g.,actionsintheregulatorysector)breedsorganizationinothersectorsofthetaskenvironment(e.g.,formationoftradeassociationsandlobbyinggroups),tocountertheexternaluncertaintyfaced.Thephenomenoncanbeinterpretedintermsofcountervailingpower,butcanalsobeseenasanormalphenomenoninapluralistsociety,withmarketsforsocial,political,andeconomicinterestscorrespondingtoapolyarchiestructuralcontextofsocialcontrol(Zald1978).Whentheregulatorycontextispredominantlypolyarchieinnature,itfollowsthatactorswhoaretargetsofregulationmayalsotrytoinfluenceregulatoryagentsdirectlybyenteringintoexchangerelationshipswiththeregulators.Suchexchangerelationshipsseemtobemoreandmorecommon(seeAmdt1979)inmostcountries.P10：Iftheuncertaintyintheregulatorysectorofthetaskenvironmentofmarketingchanneldyadscannotbeabsorbedbycoalitionbehavior,marketingchanneldyadstendtoestablishcloserlinkageswiththeregulatoryagents.ThepoliticaleconomyframeworkforthecomparativeanalysisofmarketingchannelsproposedbyStemandReve(1980)focusedoninteractionsinternaltochanneldyads.Inthisarticle,theoriginalframeworkisextendedtoaccountfortheimpactofenvironmentalforcesondyadicstructureandprocesses.Todate,thelattertopichaslargelybeenignored,especiallyinempiricalstudies,becauseoftheconceptualandmethodologicaldifficultiesassociatedwithit.Hopefully,theframeworkadvancedinthispaperwillmakethetopicmoretractable.Ithasbeensuggestedherethattheenvironmentbedisaggregatedintoprimary,secondary,andmacroenvironments,andfurtherintoinput,output,competi-TheEnuirnnmontofMarketingChannelDyads;Ativeandregulatorysectors.Actorsintheprimaryenvironmentarethosewithwhichthedyadmaintainsdirectexchange.Forsuchinteractions,theStem-Reve(1980)politicaleconomyframeworkisapplicable.Forextemalforcesgeneratedbynonexchangefactors,ahigherlevelofdimensionalizingandtheoryinductioniscalledfor.Inthisarticle,ithasbeensuggestedthattheapplicationofconstructsandtheoriesrepresentingthemajorparadigmsinthefieldofmacroorganizationbehaviorislikelytobeusefulforstudyingtheeffectsoftheseotherextemalforcesondyadicbehavior.Inthiscontext,theconstructofuncertaintywasemployedasanexample,andillustrativepropositionswereadvanced.Toasignificantextent,thetopicsaddressedinthisarticlearenotradicallynew.Itistobeexpectedthatthereaderfamiliarwithorganizationtheorywillalsobefamiliarwithmanyoftheconceptsraisedhere,andsomeofthepropositionsappearnoncontroversial.Thepurposeoftheframeworkisnottoastound,butrathertobringsomerelativelydevelopedorganizationalinsightsintoamoretightlyknitandcomprehensiblewholeinthespecificcontextsofmarketingchannels.Inthislight,itsprimarycontributionshouldbefoundinitsintersectionwiththeintemalpoliticaleconomyframework.Astheillustrativepropositionsindicate,attentionshouldfocusontheeffectofenvironmentalforcesonthestructureandprocessesofchanneldyads,becauseobviously,theeventualgoalofresearchinthistraditionmustbetosuggestmoreeffectivewaystomanagemarketingchannelrelationships.Itisthroughthemanagementoftheserelationshipsthatenhanceddyadi