A strategic perspective of communication and information systems in marketing channels

Information and communication systems are not finance, marketing, or logistics domains. They are corporate/strategic domains that must focus on channel management issues. The corporate strategies and strategic postures of manufacturers and distributors alike have traditionally been driven by marketing, financial, and sometimes logistical considerations. Given the strategic impact of information and communication systems, there are good reasons to believe that the future may hold interorganizational strategic management thrusts driven by information and communication systems linkages. The author explores these strategic thrusts and presents a framework illustrative of the trajectory of alternative strategic and tactical vectors for marketing channel information and communication.