The impact of health care provider market served on health care channel relationships

A conceptual framework is provided in which manufacturer-wholesaler relationships are addressed in the context of the health care provider segment served by the wholesaler. A study of the medical supply channel demonstrates how the particular market served by the wholesaler shapes the manufacturer-wholesaler relationship along the behavioral dimensions of manifest conflict, coercion, satisfaction and openness of communications. The health care provider segment served was found to have a significant impact on these dimensions. The results of this research suggest that channel member strategies, policies and operating procedures must account for variations in input (supply) and output (market) environments.