Sl. Oswald et Wr. Boulton, OBTAINING INDUSTRY CONTROL - THE CASE OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL DISTRIBUTION INDUSTRY, California management review, 38(1), 1995, pp. 138
In most industries, distributors have lost considerable power and posi
tion to large retailers who purchase directly from manufacturers. In c
ontrast, U.S. pharmaceutical wholesalers have gained over 75 percent o
f the pharmaceutical prescription market during a time when consolidat
ion is paramount in the health care industry. This article shows how n
iche and differentiation strategies have been used successfully by six
industry contenders to achieve this level of dominance.