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Received November 15, 1996; accepted May 22, 1997
Objective. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between characteristics of pharmacy-wholesaler relations and cooperation in those relations.
Design/Sample. Data were obtained from 326 pharmacies about 214 pharmacy-primary wholesaler relations and 112 pharmacy-secondary wholesaler relations.
Measures. Separate multiple regressions were performed to test the hypotheses for both types of pharmacy-wholesaler relationship. For each regression, cooperation was the dependent variable, while the independent variables were customer service level, trust, pharmacy influence, wholesaler influence, and duration of relations.
Results. For primary wholesalers (adjusted R-square = 0.59), three variables had significant associations with cooperation: trust, pharmacy influence, and customer service level. Conversely, the model for secondary wholesalers (adjusted R-square = 0.60) showed that only trust and pharmacy influence were significantly related to cooperation.
Conclusions. Trust and perceived pharmacy influence are important to all wholesalers in fostering and maintaining cooperation from their customers. In addition, level of customer service is an important variable for primary wholesalers working to develop cooperation with their customers.
KEY WORDS: cooperation; trust; interfirm relations; wholesaler; pharmacy.
Within a dynamic business environment, cooperation between trading partners can be crucial for success (1-2). Cooperation between trading partners has become strategically important in today's pharmaceutical marketing channels. Mergers and buyouts have occurred at virtually all levels of the channels, as managed care organizations have exerted significant influence on the delivery of care. To compete with the newly formed organizations, channel members have looked to other firms as partners, to maintain access to patients, to strengthen operations, and to broaden product offerings. Two channel members that have worked to improve cooperation are pharmacies and drug wholesalers.
Drug wholesalers and pharmacies have worked together to develop services that can help both parties, including electronic inventory management, buying group contract administration, in-store computer kiosks, and voluntary chain programs. Initiatives requiring even greater cooperation between pharmacies and drug wholesalers are being developed. For example, drug wholesalers are working to adapt efficient consumer response (ECR) to pharmaceutical marketing channels. The initiative, termed efficient healthcare consumer response (EHCR) will require close cooperation among members in the channel, especially wholesalers and pharmacies. Also, disease management programs are being developed for implementation in pharmacies. Many drug wholesalers are working to assist their pharmacy...