Supply Chain Management of KTM Sportmotorcycles: Value Chain Communication and Transparency Issues in the Dealer-OEM Relationship: Case Study

Purpose/Aim – This case study aims at assessing the importance of collaboration in distribution channels between manufacturers/importers and motorcycles dealers. Participants will be able to understand how the supply/distribution chain operates, the roles of the supply chain members, their challenges and strategies. The case study is dedicated to courses in marketing, sales or distribution management of business programs. Short summary – A multi-brand dealer faces delivery problems due to a strike of an Italian tier 1 producer of brake systems. Communicating with another non-competitive dealer which has a single brand strategy the dealer recognizes that the motorcycle OEM treats the various distribution chain members differently. The dealer investigates what can be done to improve communication and dealer-OEM relationship. Design/Teaching outline: The case study can be used in four standard 45 minutes faculty sessions. In the introduction session topics about strategic alliances in sales partner management, power, dependency, trust, commitment, fairness and influencing strategies can be presented and discussed. In the second stage, the participants read and get familiar with the case study. Then they work out and answer case study questions in groups. A video about single and multi-brand dealership and learning points from the OEM´s perspective support them in working out their tasks. The final discussion of results is done in a plenum session collecting the findings of the participants.