Category management: the limits of partnering

Abstract

Describes category management as a US invention based on the concept of a business partnership between two naturally adversarial groups — specifically, retailers and manufacturers. Asserts category management partnerships remain rare — even those companies who have taken the greatest steps towards strategic, integrated and exclusive relationships with their retailers still avoid certain areas of joint development of new products. Concludes that once choice of a strategic role has been made, manufacturers have to face the real organizational challenges of turning strategy into measurable performance benefits.

Citation

Kippenberger, T. (1997), "Category management: the limits of partnering", The Antidote, Vol. 2 No. 6, pp. 13-14. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000006355