An exploratory examination of the factors influencing distributor self-perceived power in channel relationships: a seven-country study

Abstract

Power is the potential ability of one individual or organization to directly influence another (Dahl, 1957; Emerson, 1962, French & Raven, 1959). The potential to influence another emanates from a number of social power bases. Six bases of power have been enumerated in the literature: reward, coercive, legitimate, referent, expert, and informational (French & Raven, 1959; Raven, 1965, 1992). Reward power emanates from the capability of one party to reward another. Coercive power originates from one party's expectation that he/she will be punished by his/her partner if he/she fails to conform to the influence attempt. Legitimate power is derived from the internalization of values that dictate his/her partner has a legitimate right to influence him/her and he/she has an obligation to accept this influence. Referent power is defined by the identification of one partner with the other. Expert power is the extent that the knowledge that one partner attributes to the other provides for influence. Informational power is defined as the logical argument that a partner presents to another in order to implement change. The aggregation of the six power bases determines an individual's or organization's overall power.

Citation

Yalcinkaya, G. and Griffith, D.A. (2006), "An exploratory examination of the factors influencing distributor self-perceived power in channel relationships: a seven-country study", Arthur Solberg, C. (Ed.) Relationship Between Exporters and Their Foreign Sales and Marketing Intermediaries (Advances in International Marketing, Vol. 16), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 267-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-7979(05)16011-6