The Impact of Conflict and Influence Strategies Between Local Korean-Products-Selling Retailers and Wholesalers on Performance in Chinese Electronics Distribution Channels: On Moderating Effects of Relational Quality

중국 가전유통경로에서 한국제품 현지 판매업체와 도매업체간 갈등 및 영향전략이 성과에 미치는 영향: 관계 질의 조절효과

I. Introduction: In Chinese electronics industry, the local wholesalers are still dominant but power is rapidly swifting from wholesalers to retailers because in recent foreign big retailers and local mass merchandisers are growing fast. During such transient period, conflicts among channel members emerge important issues. For example, when wholesalers who have more power exercise influence strategies to maintain status, conflicts among manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer will be intensified. Korean electronics companies in China need differentiated channel strategies by dealing with wholesalers and retailers simultaneously to sell more Korean products in competition with foreign firms. For example, Korean electronics firms should utilize 'guanxi' or relational quality to form long-term relationships with whloesalers instead of power and conflict issues. The major purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of conflict, dependency, and influence strategies between local Korean-products-selling retailers and wholesalers on performance in Chinese electronics distribution channels. In particular, this paper proposes effective distribution strategies for Korean electronics companies in China by analyzing moderating effects of 'Guanxi'. II. Literature Review and Hypotheses: The specific purposes of this study are as follows. First, causes of conflicts between local Korean-products-selling retailers and wholesalers are examined from the perspectives of goal incongruence and role ambiguity and then effects of these causes are found out on perceived conflicts of local retailers. Second, the effects of dependency of local retailers upon wholesalers are investigated on local retailers' perceived conflicts. Third, the effects of non-coercive influence strategies such as information exchange and recommendation and coercive strategies such as threats and legalistic pleas exercised by wholesalers are explored on perceived conflicts by local retailers. Fourth, the effects of level of conflicts perceived by local retailers are verified on local retailers' financial performance and satisfaction. Fifth, moderating effects of relational qualities, say, 'quanxi' between wholesalers and retailers are analyzed on the impact of wholesalers' influence strategies on retailers' performances. Finally, moderating effects of relational qualities are examined on the relationship between conflicts and performance. To accomplish above-mentioned research objectives, Figure 1 and the following research hypotheses are proposed and verified. III. Measurement and Data Analysis: To verify the proposed research model and hypotheses, data were collected from 97 retailers who are selling Korean electronic products located around Central and Southern regions in China. Covariance analysis and moderated regression analysis were employed to validate hypotheses. IV. Conclusion: The following results were drawn using structural equation modeling and hierarchical moderated regression. First, goal incongruence perceived by local retailers significantly affected conflict but role ambiguity did not. Second, consistent with conflict spiral theory, the level of conflict decreased when retailers' dependency increased toward wholesalers. Third, noncoercive influence strategies such as information exchange and recommendation implemented by wholesalers had significant effects on retailers' performance such as sales and satisfaction without conflict. On the other hand, coercive influence strategies such as threat and legalistic plea had insignificant effects on performance in spite of increasing the level of conflict. Fourth, 'guanxi', namely, relational quality between local retailers and wholesalers showed unique effects on performance. In case of noncoercive influence strategies, 'guanxi' did not play a role of moderator. Rather, relational quality and noncoercive influence strategies can serve as independent variables to enhance performance. On the other hand, when 'guanxi' was well built due to mutual trust and commitment, relational quality as a moderator can positively function to improve performance even though hostile, coercive influence strategies were implemented. Fifth, 'guanxi' significantly moderated the effects of conflict on performance. Even if conflict arises, local retailers who form solid relational quality can increase performance by dealing with dysfunctional conflict synergistically compared with low 'quanxi' retailers. In conclusion, this study verified the importance of relational quality via 'quanxi' between local retailers and wholesalers in Chinese electronic industry because relational quality could cross out the adverse effects of coercive influence strategies and conflict on performance.

본 논문의 주된 연구목적은 중국 가전유통시장에서 한국제품을 판매하는 현지 소매업체와 도매업체간의 갈등, 의존, 영향전략 및 성과간의 관계를 분석하고, 특히 '��시'(關係, guanxi)의 조절효과를 분석함으로써 중국에 진출하는 한국 가전기업들에게 효율적인 유통경로 관리방안을 제시하고자 하는 것이다. 제안한 연구모형과 가설들을 검증하기 위하여 중국 후베이성(湖北省), 후난성(湖南省), 쟝시성(江西省), 허난성(河南省) 등의 중남(中南)지역에서 한국 가전제품을 판매하는 소매상을 직접 방문하여 최종 97개의 판매업체 자료를 수집하였다. 구조방정식 모형과 조절 회귀분석을 통해 알아낸 분석 결과를 연구주제별로 살펴보면 다음과 같다. 첫째, 한국제품 현지판매업체가 지각하는 도매상과의 목표불일치는 기대대로 소매상의 갈등을 유의하게 높이었으나, 역할모호성은 갈등에 유의한 영향을 주지 못하였다. 둘째, 갈등나선형 이론과 일치하게 현지판매업체가 도매업체에 대해 의존성이 증대될수록 현지판매업체가 지각하는 갈등은 감소하는 것으로 나타났다. 셋째, 도매업체가 시행하는 정보교환, 권고 등의 비강압적 영향전략은 갈등을 조장하지 않으면서, 현지판매업체들의 거래만족 및 재무성과를 제고하는데 일익을 담당하였다. 반면에 도매업체가 사용하는 위협, 법적 호소 등의 강압적 영향전략은 갈등을 심각하게 높이면서도 성과에는 도움이 되지 못하였다. 넷째, 중국 가전산업의 도매상과 소매상간에 형성된 '��시'(關係, guanxi) 즉 관계의 질의 조절효과를 분석해보면, 먼저 상호신뢰, 몰입 등의 관계의 질은 비강압적 영향전략이 성과에 미치는 영향에 조절변수 역할을 하지 못해, 비강압적 영향전략과 관계 질은 서로 영향을 받지 않고 독립적으로 성과를 높이는데 사용될 수 있는 전략임을 알 수 있다. 반면에 관계의 질은 강압적 영향전략이 성과에 미치는 영향에 조절변수 역할을 하였다. 즉 관계의 질이 잘 형성되어 있다면 적대적 특성을 가진 강압적 영향전략이 사용되더라도 관계 질의 순기능 역할로 관계 질이 낮은 경우보다 소매상이 지각하는 성과를 높이는 것을 알 수 있다. 다섯째, 갈등의 경우도 관계의 질은 갈등이 성과에 미치는 영향에 조절변수 역할을 하였다. 관계의 질이 높게 형성되어 있다면, 갈등이 높은 상황이 발생하더라도 역기능은 줄어들어, 거래관계의 질이 높은 소매상은 갈등을 보다 긍정적으로 받아들여 시너지 효과를 창출함으로써 관계의 질이 낮은 소매상보다 성과를 높일 수 있음을 알 수 있다. 결론적으로, 중국 가전산업에서 거래 관계 질이 높게 형성되어 있다면 강압적 영향전략과 갈등이 성과에 미치는 역기능을 상쇄할 수 있어 상거래에서 '��시'(關係, guanxi)를 통한 거래관계의 질이 중요함을 확인하였다.