Conflict Management in Export Distribution Channels: A Case Focusing on Skills to Improve Operations

Export distribution channels are prone to conflicts particularly when exclusive channel arrangements are used. The traditional view has been to regard conflicts as dysfunctional, which should be avoided by any means. Recently, conflicts have been recognized to have as well a functional role when managed well. In this article we present a normative conflict management model and describe the key steps to be followed. The use of such a model is described in an export distribution channel conflict situation case involving Swedish and U.S. firms. This result in guidelines on how such a situation could be managed in a creative way, and what management skills and techniques should be applied.