Comment: The Evolution of Distribution Systems Available to Purchase

Offers a commentary on Mueller and Baron′s Case Note, which had sought to understand changes in distribution systems taking place in Central and Eastern Europe, and particularly in Hungary. Savitt criticizes the authors for disregarding the considerable research into change in distribution systems, and restricting their perspective by failing to consider the conditions under which marketing institutions are changing;over‐emphasizing the importance of Western distribution models to the evolving Hungarian system; failing to take account of recent Hungarian research on innovative retailing, particularly in respect of Skala Trade and Centrum; lack of attention to important privatization developments now taking place; and failing to take stock of the effects of economic conditions on consumer behaviour, and mistaking cosmetic alterations to structure for real advances in development.