Cooperative and voluntary wholesale groups: channel coordination and interfirm knowledge transfer

This paper uses survey data to explore the impact of alternative wholesale‐retail structures (voluntary versus cooperative) on interfirm knowledge transfer. The results indicate that, relative to cooperative wholesalers, voluntary wholesalers exhibit more of the mechanisms necessary to facilitate interfirm knowledge transfer, including communication frequency, communication bidirectionality, and interpersonal relationships. The mechanisms of knowledge transfer are also directly related to the level of retailer knowledge attributed to the wholesaler, which is directly related to retailer performance.