ROLE OF MIDDLEMEN IN THE CHANNEL OF DISTRIBUTION IN ENUGU METROPOLIS (A Case Study Of Emenite Nigeria Limited Emene) (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Physical distribution overriding goal is to ensure that the right productions got to the consumer at the right place, time and conditions desired by them. Actually production is not complete until the goods gets to the consumers for whom they are meant. Getting goods to the consumers usually involves a system of inter-company and inter-company relationship that would satisfactorily arrange for and deliver goods to the consumers. A basic element of the system is the channel of distribution.
A product may be in the market, but it will be little or more use to the consumers, if these products cannot be located.
This is concerned with the place, where the users can acquire these goods or services for use when the need arises.
Distribution is the flows of good from the producer/manufacturer to the en users through the channels of distribution, which is made up of middlemen; distribution of goods and services has been an essential aspect of marketing in our lives.
Though it was not recognized earlier, distribution in the 90’s is the most important link for acquiring goods and services from the producers to the final consumers even with a so ring inflationary period which may break all records in the short history of Nigeria, distribution still is vital to the continued existence of business.
According to Olakunori (1999:56) noted that middlemen considerations is the attitude of middlemen or intermediaries towards a company’s products, their availability in the desired target market, and the extent to which the functions and services they perform meet the desire of the company would greatly determine the extent to which it would employ them for distributing its products. If a manufacturer is not willing to satisfy the demand of established middlemen, it may have to distribute its product to customers by itself. Sometime, the particularly type of the middlemen desired by a manufacture may be available. In such a situation, it may have to distribute its products directly. But where middlemen are co-operative, experienced and have no exclusive arrangement or territorial restrictions, the manufacturer may prefer to use them rather them dealing directly with final consumers.
Producers on their own engage in the distribution of their products. But when the demand for these products increases, they found out that there wasn’t enough time, energy and expertise needed for effective distribution.
According to Kotler (1989:349) channel of distribution is the set of firms and individual that takes little or assists in transferring little to goods or services as it move from the producer to the final consumers or individual user. Due to the development to the economy, retailers began to specialize.
