The extent and formality of series agency evaluations of principals

This study examines the evaluation of principal suppliers by the sales agen cies that represent them. Results rom a survey of sales agencies show evalu ations range from extremely informal to formal, with varying criteria, info rmation sources, and uses of the results of valuations. Overall, formality of evaluations was quite low, but those agencies using some degree of forma l procedures in their evaluations indicated better performance of the agenc y, better relationships between the agency and the principal, and greater o verall satisfaction with the principal than those firms using extremely inf ormal evaluations. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.