DISTRIBUTION MANAGEMENT IN ADVANCED MARKET ECONOMIES AND IN THE SLOVAK-REPUBLIC

Transition processes in our economy caused disfunction of traditional channels in innovation of goods from producer to consumer. The lack in supplying in the past and today as well is an evidence of that no proper attention has been paid to the distribution either in the theory for in the practice. In this article we would like to point out the current trends in distribution management in developed countries and possibilities of their application in our conditions. We characterize organizational structure of distribution channels and the basic form of horizontal and vertical marketing systems. We analyse today's conditions of transformation of distribution systems in Slovakia and starting points for enforcement of some forms of contractual VMS - Wholesaler Sponsored voluntary chains, Retailer Cooperatives, eventually chains and Franchise organisations. There are also mentioned some conflicts which may occur in distribution channels and we give brief instruction how to master them.