The political economy framework for the comparative analysis of marketing channel dyads proposed by Stern and Reve (1980) focused mainly on relationships between channel members. This article extends the political economy framework by indicating how environmental factors (i.e., factors external to a dyad) might influence and affect the structure and processes of the dyad. When combined with the original article by Stern and Reve, the resulting overall perspective should provide a comprehensive basis for theory development and research in the marketing channel area.
Political economy; marketing channels; comparative analysis of dyads; environmental factors