Current Trends in Distribution Research in Finland

The purpose of this paper is to give a perspective on the state of the art in current distribution research in Finland. One could argue that the thesis by Kaskimies on the channels of distribution was the first in this field in Finland. In this work, Kaskimies focused on factors affecting the length of the distribution channel. Kaskimies was followed by Särkisilta and Leivo. The former studies the variables accounting for the dimensions of retail trade in commune level centres, while Leivo investigated the influence of the location and size of the automobile dealership on its profitability. The distribution channels in the area of foreign trade were studied by Salonen.