Strategic channel activity preannouncements

Preannouncements about strategic channel activities (SCAPs) are a highly appealing means of achieving communication with key stakeholders. However, no major study has investigated possible antecedent effects related to SCAPs. We propose and test a model of three environmental indirect effects operating through two mediating variables that affect the firm's likelihood to issue SCAPs. The results show that the three environment factors—industry antitrust activity, industry dynamism, and competitor retaliation—affect either customer's tendency to engage in select channel arrangements or the selling firm's reputation-building activities (or both), which in turn affect the firm's likelihood to issue SCAPs.