Conflict and performance in channels: a meta-analysis

Abstract

Channel conflict is a critical business concern and has long been of great interest to researchers. In this paper, we report a comprehensive meta-analysis of the empirical literature spread over more than five decades between 1960 and 2020, with “channel conflict” as the focal construct and investigate the conflict- performance link. We find, in the aggregate, the channel performance is negatively related to channel conflict, and that this result is true for both individual and joint channel outcomes. We observe that the conflict – performance link has evolved over time, roughly in keeping with the growth and maturing of e-commerce technologies. The negative conflict – performance link is moderated by several measurements, sampling, and channel characteristics. While channel conflict has been treated as a mediator in some models and as an outcome in others, it is negatively related to the relational constructs – satisfaction, trust, and commitment, regardless of the model. We base our conclusions on correlational analyses, two-stage meta-analytic structural equation modeling (TSSEM), and meta-analytic regression analyses (MARA). We conclude by identifying several areas of future research. Valuation Insight: The paper provides a meta analysis of empirical studies since the 1960s, illustrating a negative link between the value created through particular marketing channels and the level of disagreement between members of the channel. Over time the degree of value losses due to conflict have increased until the growth of e-commerce allowed better management of conflict and its management.