PROGRAM OF SPECIAL TRANING PROGRAM

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL
MANAGEMENT

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Students studied Basic Marketing

DURATION
In class: 30 hours consist of lectures, discussion, and presentation of students.

GRADING SYSTEM: 10

UNIT DESCRIPTION
Theory and research of distribution channel are applied to design distribution channel
system, select intermediary members, manage channel members and evaluate completion
– rate of distribution system.
Studying Group

Students are required to set up group of 5-7 student according to scale of class. Groups will be
used in discussion and doing group exercises. Students are required to set up the list of students’
name, students’ code, telephone and email for contact. The lists of group are needed to submit to
lecturer at the second class.

Personal honesty: Students are required to follow all University statutes of study and
examination. Using information form other resources without quotation is fraudulence. If a
student works with other students but do not contribute effort fully to project/situation analysis
and get point fully because of others’ effort, it is fraudulence and will get compatible punishment
(deduct point).

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Situation analysis

Two exercises of situation analysis will evaluate students’ ability of communicative skill:
writing, analyzing and presenting. Questions in situation exercises will require students to apply
knowledge of basic principles in the subject to described situation in lesson. Concrete questions
and evaluated conditions will be raised in class. The essay submitted by email is not over 5 pages
(Microsoft word, double space).

Class participation

Participation of students is an important part of class. Students are required to come attend class
with prepared knowledge by reading learning materials before class. When in class, students
have to have serious learning attitudes, be ready to discuss learned matters, situation exercises.

Contribution of students is not assessed based on quantity. Students will get best assessment if
concentrate to discussed matters and working with other students in group to ask related
questions, raise suggest and criticism. Lecturer will evaluate based on students’ opinions
reflected profound knowledge of marketing channel theories related to topics of situation/project
and content of discussion.

Write project of subject

The following are some topics of subject project. Students could develop them after referring
lecturer’s suggestions.

1. Analyzing situation in consultative role: Students will take the part of a consultant to
evaluate structure and strategy of channel at present. The subject matter of project is selecting a
concrete company.
a) Select a company which is a producer or distribution company. Students can also choose
the company which he or she is working for.

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b) Present with related persons of the company and execute the research.
c) Find the structure of channels and marketing channel management structure of the
company.
d) Discuss with management board about structure/channel management and developing
related problems.
e) Write a consultant report about analysis and petition of ameliorating channel completion-
rate.
2. Project of analyzing structure of distribution channel: Apply theories of channel design
to real marketing channel. Subject matter of project: analyzing channel structure at branch level.
a) Describe structure of a real channel towards a product, or a group of product.
b) Consider channel structure of main variables effected to channel design.
c) Write an essay analyzing the concrete design using method in textbook as a standard.
3. Project of theory channel design: Design a marketing channel for a new product/ service
right form the start.
a) Determine a product / service is real or suppositious.
b) Design distribution channel for a product / service.
c) Present a plan for executing selected design.

Students will follow the form of channel design described in textbook (chapter 6 & 7) to take
shape of plan structure. Designing channel have to reflect a strategic implication in order to help
the company / product / service get different advantages, contribute to create considerable
competitive advantage for company.

The project of channel design have to present in a report which is not over 15 pages (word,
double space) and each group have to prepare a verbal report (power point) in 35 minutes (20
minutes for presentation and 15 minutes for answering questions). The time for submitting report
and presentation is the last class of the subject.

Final exam

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 The exam will take place on ………….. The exam will includes contents in reading book and
discussions in class. Questions in the exam are multiple choice and short answer according to
situation resolution.

UNIT OBJECTIVES
- Improve the knowledge of distribution channel management role in the extensive field of
Marketing management.
- Improve the deep knowledge of distribution channel design and management.
- Get awareness of the role of marketing channel system in macro-distribution system
Provide opportunities for effectuating a project related to marketing channels and
distribution systems.

STRUCTURE OF UNIT
Part I: Marketing channel system

1st class Introduction of subject

Definition of marketing channel
Components parts of marketing channel
Modern marketing channel
Read book: Chapter 1, 2, 15
Present situations and doing exercise
Explain group project of channel design and take form of group

Part II: Developing Marketing channels

2nd class Channel strategy

Marketing channel design
Read book: Chapter 5, 6
Meet group to talk about selecting topics
3rd class Select channel members

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 Market and channel design strategy
Read book: Chapter 7, 8

Part III: Marketing channel management

4th class Behavior in marketing channel

Encourage channel members
Read book: Chapter 4, 9
Situation 1: Huong Quynh Co.Ltd.

5th class Problem of product in channel management

Problem of price in channel management
Problem of marketing in channel management
Read book: Chapter 10, 11, 12
Situation 2: Legrand Group in Vietnam

6th class Meeting of lecturer and students to talk about the process of executing
Channel design project
+ Students’ reports of project process
+ Questions of students

7th class Logistic and channel management

Evaluate the completion – rate of channel
Read book: Chapter 13, 14

8th class Project presentation of groups ( prepare power point slides)

Group hand in Situation analysis for lecturer in email from 3-5 pages
(double space)

TOTAL CONTACT HOURS (30 hours)

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LEARNING MATERIALS & TEXT
 Main book: Bert Rosenbloom, Marketing Channels: A Management View, 7th edition,
Southwestern/Thomson 2004.
 Reference: Anne T. Coughlan, Erin Anderson, Louis W. Stern and Adel Ansary,
Marketing Channels, 7th Edition, Pearson Hall, 2006.

ASSESSMENT & PERCENTAGES OF ASSESSMENT TASKS

Students will be evaluate based on 10 grading system, following assignment:
- Project group: Marketing channel strategy 40% (group)
- Situation analysis 20% (group)
- Class participation 10% (individual)
- Final exam 30% (individual)
100%