A new textbook, 'Marketing Channel Management: Organization and Coordination,' authored by retired University of Southern California marketing professor Gary L. Frazier, is being hailed as a 'must-have masterpiece' for MBA students and entrepreneurs. Published by Cambridge University Press, the book serves as a core textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate business students, as well as a practical resource for entrepreneurs and marketing professionals.
Fabrizio Zerbini, Professor of Practice in Marketing Management at SDA Bocconi in Milan, Italy, emphasizes the book's importance, noting that 'few books offer practical guidance on how to frame a strategy, organize activities, and manage channels to ensure marketing effectiveness.' Zerbini adds that Frazier's work 'fills this gap and valuably connects channel decisions to the customer journey within the multi-channel environment.'
Georgia Tech Marketing Professor Ajay Kohli praises the book's depth, stating, 'The brilliance of this book lies in its willingness to go where others don't. It addresses the nuanced, often overlooked issues that shape the real-world performance of marketing channels — grounded in deep expertise and practical wisdom from one of the foremost experts on power and conflict in channels.'
Understanding the end customer, their thinking, and decision-making processes is crucial for effective marketing channel design and management. Frazier's textbook demystifies strategic channel decision-making by emphasizing the basics and employing real-world examples from various industries to illustrate how distribution channels are organized and coordinated.
The book adopts a managerial decision-making approach, guiding students through issues with pedagogical features such as learning objectives and key takeaways. End-of-chapter review and discussion questions allow students to test their understanding. Instructors are supported by an extensive suite of online resources, including test bank cartridges, lecture slides, and figures from the book.
Each chapter is accompanied by two online case studies—one B2B and one B2C. The instructor manual includes teaching tips, links to relevant videos, and sample exam papers, along with model answers to chapter assessments to aid in class marking.
Frazier draws on more than 40 years of research, teaching, and consulting experience. During his academic career, he served as editor of the American Marketing Association's Journal of Marketing and worked with major organizations across multiple industries. His consulting clients have included Coca-Cola, Walmart, and General Motors.
The publication of this book is significant because it addresses a critical gap in marketing education, providing practical guidance that connects channel decisions to the customer journey. For entrepreneurs and business professionals, effective channel management is essential for bringing products to market, and this book offers actionable insights grounded in decades of expertise.
