JOURNAL OF MARKETING CHANNELS
CALL FOR PAPERS
SPECIAL ISSUE ON

Dynamic Transformations and Marketing Channels in African Markets

Guest Editors: Kofi Q. Dadzie and Simon Sigué

The retailing and distribution sector in most African markets has traditionally been dominated by a myriad of various types of small formal and informal retailers who, taken individually, have no significant market power. This situation has been a major challenge for national and international suppliers interested in African markets that have no choice but to rely on this fragmented retail sector to broaden their market penetration strategies. Because of the timid competition at the supply level, the countless channel intermediaries, and this rudimentary retail sector, African consumers are accustomed to paying high prices for services that are generally far below international quality standards.

With the trend towards market reforms and removal of trade barriers, the ongoing improvement of national and regional infrastructures, the emergence of new technologies, and the increased interest of investors of various origins, African markets are rapidly moving towards free-market economies with more accessible and efficient marketing channels. As a consequence, prices are decreasing while the quantity and quality of available products in African markets are increasing.

Simultaneously, new players, new marketing channels, and new channel organizations (such as franchising) are becoming part of the new African market economies. Leading this trend are such global retailers as Walmart, Gap, Zara, McDonalds, and KFC whose entry into African markets, with their proven and sophisticated marketing tools, is likely to meet the increasing needs of the rising African middle classes for higher quality and branded products/services. This trend is further buttressed by the rise of modern commercial centers that are steadily transforming consumer shopping experiences in some major cities.

This special issue invites submissions that investigate the effects of these current transformations in African economies on marketing channel structures, organizations, and behaviors, as well as the challenges and opportunities that new channels and new market entrants are more likely to encounter in African markets.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of topics of interest:

• Reactions of local and small retailers to the entry of foreign competitors.
• Relationships among marketing channel members.
• The economic power within African marketing channels.
• Challenges and opportunities of E-tailing.
• African supply chain organization and management.
• Horizontal retail networks and franchising in Africa.
• Consumer behavior with respect to new channels or new retail outlets.
• A meta analysis of channel research in Africa.

SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.
2. All manuscripts will be double-blind refereed. Manuscript must be submitted electronically in Word format, and must be consistent with the author submission guidelines of the Journal of Marketing Channels which can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/WJMC Click on the "Authors and Submissions" Tab. Papers should be in APA style, and normally should be no longer than 25 pages in length.
3. Manuscripts should be received no later than July 30, 2013 with accepted papers published in early 2014. Please submit to either of the guest editors, preferably through e-mail as a Microsoft word document.

Kofi Q. Dadzie
Department of Marketing, former Editor,
Journal of African Business
J. Mack Robinson College of Business
Georgia State University
35 Broad Street Atlanta, GA 30303 USA
Phone: 404-413-7166
e-mail: kdadzie@gsu.edu

Simon Sigué
Professor of Marketing
Athabasca University
Edmonton, Canada
Phone: 780-460-0340
e-mail: simons@athabascau.ca

 

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