Managing Industrial Middlemen in the Small Technology‐based Firm

On‐site interviews were conducted with distribution managers in 20 technology‐based manufacturing firms located in Canada. The managers were asked to indicate the thoroughness with which they identified, selected, and recruited middlemen. Perceptions of the importance and success accorded each activity were also obtained. The results indicate that although many criteria are used or consulted, the thoroughness with which the activities are undertaken is significantly less than maximum. Additional analysis suggests that success in conducting these activities may be related to the perceived importance of each activity, and the thoroughness of the processes employed.