Abstract:

 In the literature of exploring channel communication, most scholars focused on communication with business, ignoring the private communication and the role of non-commercial communication, while lacking of discussion about the path between communication and performance. In this context, the paper built the path model of channel communication on the relationship performance, empirical analysis of the relationship among channel communication, relational governance and performance relationship in Chinese market environment. Based on the data of 153 retailers, this paper obtained the following conclusions: ①instrumental communication and social communication is positive related to relationship performance, and the  influence of instrumental communication is more obvious; ② instrumental communication and social communication have significant increase in retailers’ use of relational governance, in which the role of instrumental communication is more obvious; ③ joint problem-solving is positive related with relationship performance and plays a mediating role between channel communication and relationship performance.

Key words: Marketing Channel, Channel Communication, Relational Governance, Relationship Performance