Marketing Channels and Economic Development: A Literature Overview

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview and organisation of the literature which deals with the interaction of economic development and marketing channel structure. The interaction between economic development and the structure of marketing channels is a topic worthy of serious study for at least the following reasons: (1) It generates descriptions of actual channels that exist at present in different countries. Such descriptions could be of great use to international marketers. (2) It provides insight into the determinants of channel structure in different countries at different levels of economic development. It thus helps to explain the nature of channels and how present channels came to have the structures that they do. Generalisations may then be developed which will aid in the prediction of changes and directions that channel structure will take in specific areas and nations. This is of use for both managerial and social purposes. (3) It could provide insight into how macro‐channel structure strategy could be used as a tool in economic development.