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SDM-X07
(PGDM-PT 2007-10 : Term-VII)
Sales and Distribution Management
(Faculty: Prof. Subhasis Ray)
COURSE OUTLINE
Introduction
Getting products to reach their final customers is the goal of all businesses. This last link in the business chain takes many forms across industries. Some companies prefer to sell direct to its customers while others create structures and systems. In this course we will look why and how such decisions are taken. Note that a channel to distribute products and a sales team to manage that, is universal to all companies. Irrespective of your function in your organization you will come across sales teams. In marketing you have to, of course, manage these functions. In HR, you need to understand, for example, how and why training needs of sales managers are different from others. In finance, you need to understand how to manage the incentive structure of your sales team in relation to the credit given to distributors.
In this course we will focus on these two separate yet interlinked areas of management.
In sales management, we will talk about how sales teams are created. Briefly touching on the different techniques of selling, we will discuss the training, motivation, incentives for these teams and the occasional conflict that arises.
In distribution or channel management, we will work upon designing channels and managing them. We will discuss the myriad issues that arise when sales managers start managing their teams and their channels. With the current waves made by organized retailing, we will try to understand the dynamics of this market. New channels like internet and the challenge of integrating them to existing structures will also be discussed. The outline given below is flexible and we will customize it in the course of the programme.
.
DAY-wise course outline
DAY 1:
Introduction- personal selling- setting sales objectives
Reading:
o
The world’s greatest salesman
DAY 2:
Sales Related Marketing Policies
Case:
Doug Smith
Reading:
o
Bonoma Thomas,
Major sales: who really does the buying
, HBR, May 1982
DAY 3:
The sales organization
Case: Adler,
when your star performer cannot manage
, HBR 1997
Reading:
Hassan
, Leading Change from the top line, HBR July 2006
DAY 4:
Sales department relations and distributor relations
Case:
When a new manager stumbles
, HBR, 2003
Reading
The new science of sales force productivity, HBR, September 2006.
DAY 5:
Sales force recruitment, training and retention
Case:
Old
Hand or new blood
? HBR, July 2006
Reading:
o
How to keep A players productive
, HBR September 2006
o
Psychology of a sales person
HBR, July 2006
DAY 6:
Sales force motivation and compensation
Case:
How low
will you go?
DAY 7:
Sales budgeting and setting targets
DAY 8
: Introduction to channels- The distribution game- role of distribution, channel function and flow
Day 9:
Channel design
DAY 10:
Channel dynamics- is outsourcing distribution a good idea?
DAY 11:
Channel power, conflict and resolution
Reading:
o
Bucklin, Graham et al,
Channel conflict when is it dangerous
, McKinsay Quarterly, Vol.4, 1997
DAY 12;
Managing multiple channels: issues with unwanted channels
Case:
In the name of rose
, HBR
Reading:
o
Antia, Bergen and Dutta
, Competing with gray markets
, MIT Sloan management Review, Fall 2004
DAY 13
Retailing- The challenge of private labels- The Indian scenario
Q&A session on retail
Reading:
o
Ghemawat,
The Real Wal-Mart Effect
o
Pricing cues
o
Carrefour in China
DAY 14
Online channels : supply chain in distribution
Reading:
o
The case of Fabmall
o
Fedrows,
Rapid Fire Fulfillment
, HBR, November 2004
DAY 15
o
Course Summary &Review
o
Q&A
Evaluation components
End term : 40 points
Case/Paper Analysis : 40 points
Class participation: 20 points
Total : 100 points
Group Work
The students will assign themselves into groups and work on the assignments and the term paper, if any. Assignments may be in the form of presenting the scheduled reading material or analyzing the case of the day. If you are presenting the reading material focus on a) key learnings b) your perspectives and c) Indian scenario.
All submissions are due at the beginning of the class in which the respective cases/papers are scheduled.
I will ask for written case analysis for some cases. The write up may include identification of problems, analysis, solution/ direction (based on concepts), take-aways.
Everyday groups will be asked to present one or more of the assigned readings.
It will be mutually helpful if you come to the class after reading the assigned cases/papers. You will be penalized if found unprepared for class room discussion.
Class participation will be evaluated by your quality of inputs during classroom discussions.
Created By:
Bijoy Kar
on
04/30/2009
at
06:14 PM
Category
:
ExPGP-III
Doctype
:
Document
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