3M Corporation Distributors Assessment System Research

Undoubtedly, the distributors are always recognized as an important part of marketing channels. Therefore, on the basis of the discussion of distributors, this paper talks about the main functions of distributors through some facts, the scientific assessment and management of distributors, the way to select the more qualified distributors and the strategy of making distributors play an active role in the market development and sale promotion of new products.A multi-industry and foreign-funded company, 3M Co., Ltd believes the creation is the biggest competitive capability for an enterprise. The distributors take charge of the majority sales of 3M products and certainly, are the most important part of 3M marketing channel. Thus, the system of assessment and management for the distributors by 3M directly influence the selection and elimination of the distributors as well as the profit of the whole 3M group. Though only focus on 3M Co., Ltd, this paper is meaningful and significant for other companies in the aspect of assessment and management of the distributors, because of the multi-products and large market of 3M Co., Ltd, including industry and civilian field. In addition, this research is also beneficial for the marketing of creative products, because 3M pay a special attention to creating and developing new products.Basing on the theories, this paper combines with the real situation of the management of 3M's distributors. Through the analysis and discussion of the cooperation between 3M and its distributors, this paper discusses the problems of the assessment and management of 3M's distributors and the possible reasons of those problems, designs the new assessment standard and clarifies the guarantee system of distributors'assessment. The key purpose of this paper is to offer an assistance and source for the individual work and company management of the distributors.To begin with, the first chapter discusses the research background, significance, research methods and train of thought of this paper. In the second chapter, it mainly defines the conception of the distributors and the necessary abilities that they should own. Besides, the second chapter makes the literature review for the distributors'assessment, states the methods of the assessment to distributors and points out the research target of this paper. Next, it introduces the basic information of 3M and its products, describes the present situation of the assessment system of the 3M's distributors and analyzes the problems of the assessment system and the possible reasons of those problems in the third chapter. Moreover, it also demonstrates the function of those distributors in the marketing channel of 3M and the relationship between 3M and its distributors in order to make a base for the following discussion. Then, the fourth chapter, which is the key research part of this paper, clearly illustrates the purposes and principles of 3M's assessment of the distributors. Aiming at solving the current problems in the assessment system of 3M, it designs some new elements and standardizes some steps in the assessment in order to improve the present assessment system. Finally, the last chapter offers some advises for the guarantee system of distributor assessment in the aspects of the organization, financial management, company culture and promotion so as to advance the establishment and implementation of assessment system and enhance the management of distributorsThe creative points of this paper is to fully display the newer and better assessment and management of the distributors for 3M Co., Ltd. and probably, it can be useful and helpful for the selection and management of the distributors of 3M in the process of marketing.