Applying a configuration-theoretic approach to study multiple channels, the authors hypothesize that multiple-channel systems make their greatest contributions to firm performance when their structures are properly aligned with their firms' business-level strategies and with environmental conditions. A conceptual model incorporating these variables is supported in an empirical study of responses from executives at 291 electronic component manufacturers. The results confirm the existence of two theoretically ideal configurations. As hypothesized, channels in these ideal configurations make greater contributions to their firms' performance than do channels in alternative configurations. Moreover, a profile deviation analysis shows that a channel system's contribution to its firm's performance is greatest when that channel system's structural profile is closest to the profiles of top-contributing channel systems operating under similar strategic and environmental conditions. The authors present specific guidelines to help managers design distribution systems for different combinations of environment (e.g., with high and low dynamism, munificence, and diversity) and strategy (cost leadership and differentiation).

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In view of the importance of interpersonal communication in the face-to-face selling interaction, this discussion seeks to provide a more complete picture of the actual communication process by introducing a concept new to the marketing literature. The concept is relational communication, which refers to that part of a message beyond the actual content which allows communicators to negotiate their relative positions. Thus, the message sender can either bid for dominance, deference, or equality. The message receiver, in turn, can accept the bid or deny it.

This article takes a historical perspective to examine technological convergences that occurred throughout the twentieth century in an attempt to gain insights that may be helpful today. It analyzes five case histories where experts predicted that two or more existing technologies would converge to create an entirely new product and market. The cases are studied for their unique points of difference as well as for their commonalities. They lead to the conclusion that despite the confidence and enthusiasm in the forecasts, the convergences typically took decades longer than expected and often materialized in forms that bore little resemblance to the original predictions. Failures occurred for a variety of reasons, ranging from a lack of market acceptance to a waning of one of the original technologies prior to the convergence. The results have implications for businesses and consumers concerned with current predictions of new technological convergences.

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