Dear  

students and CRs ,

1) Each buddy group has to do a distribution project .

2) Distribution Presentations begin from From 30th September
2)In each class , there will be two presentations  ( order of presentations will be decided thru
chits by me ). Mutual exchange possible .
4)Project presentation will be of 10 - 15 minutes duration ( not less , not more )followed
by Q and A

Distribution project –
1)Start with any Brand / product category/division of a company of your choice from any
industry ( FMCG/CD/FRANCHISE SERVICE/B2B/PHARMA) .
Eg Distribution of HUL soaps category or Distribution of HUL cosmetics or Distribution
for Mahindra and Mahindra auto division or distribution for Mahindra and Mahindra
Tractors or Distribution system of Urban company
2) Ensure that there is no repeat of same category of same company , eg HUL may be taken
only by one group for soaps in all four divs together , but another group can do HUL oral
care .

HOW TO GO ABOUT THE PROJECT

1)Do a google search of all possible articles about the distribution system for that product
category for the company ( compulsory)
2) You may do online /telephone interviews of sales managers/distributors /retailers

The google search should answer the following questions

1. Distribution strategy and factors/objectives responsible . ( easy )
2. All India distribution network for the product eg factories , CFA , distributors  etc and
logic of the same ( easy )
3. Changes the companies has witnessed in its distribution system dynamics and reasons
why – changes in types of channels, number of outlets served ,additions , deletions to
channels , power dynamics ( easy) )
4. Margins earned by various channel members –Manufacturer , CFA , Distributor ,
dealer ,/retailer( easy or difficult).
5. Distribution system in Mumbai/ Any City (difficult)
6. Expectations that the company has from  distributors / franchisees ( difficult)
7. How does the company select its distributors /franchisees – qualifications , conditions
etc. ( difficult)
8. How does the company motivate its distributors /franchisees ? what kind of support
given?(difficult)
9. How does it review distributors or franchisees  performance ( difficult)
10. Examples/case study of conflict that have happened  - how  and why happened ? how
resolved ? ( easy or difficult)
11. Interview a distributor and a retailer to understand what expectations have been served or
not served by the company ( difficult)

Please note that the info categorised as easy above ,will be easily available from the
many articles ( newspapers , magazines , student presentations etc that you will read ) .
 For the answers to the ones tagged as difficult ( point 4 – 11) you may need to interview 
an Area Sales Manager etc  .This will make the project more hands down and
practical. In case you are unable to , inspite of your best efforts, spruce up your
project by adding – (12 & 13 Point)

12. Learning lessons ( analysis and suggestions ) from the comparative analysis with its
main competitor , through a SWOT of distribution only ( note I don’t want a
general SWOT , I want a Distribution SWOT comparative analysis ) (easy)
13. Any other aspect that you may deem fit to add eg Distribution system of the
company in India vs parent country eg Dell abroad vs India , special initiatives
taken by company and analysis of the same eg HUL Shakti Amma (easy)

Note that all references for the project should be mentioned at end .But if your
slides state opinions/ facts and figures, then source should be shown in slide itself
Lot of material is available on the net .But the student is expected not to straight
copy from one source .Instead he/she is encouraged to use multiple
sources/articles/presentations to make for a wholistic presentation .

HAPPY RESEARCHING

Dear CRs ,and students

Just a further explanation of the distribution project.
1)Say a group has chosen Hindustan lever soap division and blocked it.no other group in
any class can take it.the group that has taken HUL soaps division will choose to speak by
taking eg of brand of soap of HUL eg lifebouy soaps
2) Also ideally,it does not then make sense for any other group to take soaps category with
another  company too as in soaps etc strategies of any company tend to be more or less the
same and thus for me,it will be a repeat.
3)Thus,it means once a product category is blocked by a group eg soaps,online food
delivery,etc that should not be taken by any group in any class,unless two brands in same
category have very different strategies.eg cafe coffee day is very different from
Starbucks.similarly,BMW car strategy is very different from Alto strategy and can be taken by
two different groups but from two different divisions.
As this is very detailed and students could have lot of doubts,let us discuss in a dedicated
class for the purpose