Influence strategies in dual distribution channels: Examining their effects on distributor opportunism

Distributors' opportunistic behaviors damage the manufacturer–distributor relationships and harm the manufacturer's performance. Thus, manufacturers must curb distributors' opportunism. Influence strategies, categorized as coercive and non-coercive, affect channel members' opportunism. Although previous studies identify the boundary conditions of coercive and non-coercive influence strategies, they focus on channel relationship characteristics as boundary conditions, ignoring channel structure, such as dual distribution channels. Accordingly, we examine whether dual channel system (vs. independent channel system) moderates the relationship between coercive/non-coercive influence strategies and distributor opportunism. Moreover, we investigate whether distributor dependence enhances the dual-channel moderating role. To test our hypotheses, primary data were collected from Japanese CEOs engaged in distribution firms. The results indicate that the dual channel system enhances the facilitating effect of coercive influence strategy on opportunism, whereas the suppressive effect of non-coercive influence strategy on opportunism works only in a dual-channel and high distributor dependence situation. This study contributes to a better understanding of marketing channels and provides novel insights for business managers.