NAW Publications

“Facing the Forces of Change has given us a guide-book and a great insight into the future developments facing our industry. We look at almost all of the NAW Institute publications and circulate them among all of our management team.”

—Richard Schwartz, Chairman of the Board, Winsupply, Inc.

“By reading NAW Institute / Texas A&M University research studies at the onset of being published, it gives us a competitive advantage of 1–2 years.”

—Nathan Potter, CEO, DW Distribution Inc

“The research quality is top notch…the studies give us the opportunity to apply the insights and analytics to make our business decisions better for the future of our organization.”

—Matthew Geekie, SVP, Secretary, and General Counsel, Graybar Electric Company

New Releases

BRAND-NEW! Optimizing Human Capital Development: A Distributor’s Guide to Building Sustainable Competitive Advantage Through Talent Strategy – Ready to Ship September 4

NAW Publications

New Releases

This is the first research study in the distribution industry that aims to build organization competitive advantage through people management. If you manage people at the front-line level to the C-suite, this research study will benefit you.

Fortune favors the prepared, and preparation is all about capabilities. Find out what more than 100 distributor CEOs and more than 50 manufacturers, customers and experts on innovation, technology and organizational change have to say.

With distributor case studies and 15 years of research, this study helps you execute an innovative inventory management framework that optimizes your value proposition and customer service.

Free Reports and White Papers

This white paper shows your sales manager how to determine whether your sales force is spending company resources wisely in pursuing customers. Where is your sales team wasting resources as it attempts to close sales?

This 24-page Executive Report examines some of the more recent challenges distributors face and offers suggestions for differentiation.

This white paper provides guidance on how to infuse an agile and powerful digital transformation strategy into every aspect of your business. You can outpace your digitally savvy competitors.

This white paper looks at distributor–manufacturer relationships, and how they can be improved and strengthened. Special feature: “10 Elements of a Distribution System Policy Audit.”

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Mergers and Acquisitions for Distributors: Expert Advice for Buyers and Sellers. The unique perspectives of a private equity investor, an attorney, and a certified public accountant (CPA) enrich this text with information the reader might not be able...

Groundbreaking Research with Texas A&M University

This is the first research study in the distribution industry that aims to build organization competitive advantage through people management. If you manage people at the front-line level to the C-suite, this research study will benefit you.

Customer stratification is a critical business process that every distributor should adopt and execute well to achieve greater profitability. This research study offers 20 action steps that your company can implement today.

At last, distributors have a growth playbook that is based on research and analytics instead of anecdotal information!

There are 47 best practices in this study and all were developed from actual experiences of 84 wholesale distribution firms across our industry. This study is a powerful weapon for you to use to enhance your shareholder value.

This study will help you achieve the right pricing solution for your business. It features 9 best practices from wholesaler-distributors, 40 action steps, and 73 examples from distributors across many product lines.

This book is a first-of-its-kind, best practices study that focuses on aligning customer needs, sales force priorities, and wholesaler-distributor objectives to maximize value creation.

With distributor case studies and 15 years of research, this study helps you execute an innovative inventory management framework that optimizes your value proposition and customer service.

HUMAN CAPITAL STRATEGY AND EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION

This is the first research study in the distribution industry that aims to build organization competitive advantage through people management. If you manage people at the front-line level to the C-suite, this research study will benefit you.

This book is not about theories; it’s about practical experience and expert guidance for surviving and growing in today’s world. It will help you think more clearly about your situation and goals and may challenge your assumptions.

Compensation programs are effective when clear and actionable objectives are in place. This book shows how to design and implement a compensation program that supports your objectives, and helps you to avoid common pitfalls.

PROFITABILITY AND PRICING

Customer stratification is a critical business process that every distributor should adopt and execute well to achieve greater profitability. This research study offers 20 action steps that your company can implement today.

At last, distributors have a growth playbook that is based on research and analytics instead of anecdotal information!

Is your company overlooking opportunities to make money and stop profit leakage? This study shows you how to protect your most profitable, high-growth potential customers and avoid squandering precious resources.

There are 47 best practices in this study and all were developed from actual experiences of 84 wholesale distribution firms across our industry. This study is a powerful weapon for you to use to enhance your shareholder value.

This study will help you achieve the right pricing solution for your business. It features 9 best practices from wholesaler-distributors, 40 action steps, and 73 examples from distributors across many product lines.

Much, and possibly even most, of what distribution managers know about improving profitability is wrong. This best-selling book will change the way you think about your business.

Most distributors are leaving at least two percentage points of gross trading margin on the table. This translates into 2% of total sales. Two percent is the difference between mediocre profit results and stellar performance!

This study identifies what actually drives profit. It examines the financial performance on the Critical Profit Variables (CPVs) of 885 distributors across 17 lines of trade.

Only 10% of all companies produce a truly great profit. What’s the problem? First, you need to focus on profit and not sales. Second, don’t cut prices—ever. Third have a plan, not a meaningless budget.

SALES MANAGEMENT

This best-selling book offers a practical but powerful approach through five fundamentals for taking your sales force to the next level. It includes real-world stories taken from the front lines of wholesale distribution.

If you’ve set goals for your inside sales reps to provide superior service that enhances your company’s competitive position and drives profits to sustainable higher levels, then this workbook is for you.

This report will show you how to develop a workable marketing strategy for penetrating accounts. Use it to help you take the shortest, most productive path to sales growth.

This book is a first-of-its-kind, best practices study that focuses on aligning customer needs, sales force priorities, and wholesaler-distributor objectives to maximize value creation.

Whether you are a new sales executive putting your system together or an experienced sales executive looking for new perspectives, this book offers tools you can use immediately.

This research study is described as an encyclopedic view of sales research. You will gain a better understanding of how the various aspects of sales are changing and what the future holds.

This step-by-step guide will show you how to organize your company's data and reports so you can arm your sales force to sell more productively and efficiently

STRATEGY, INNOVATION AND VALUE CREATION

Your roadmap to adopting and using digital tools—e-commerce, social media, mobility, CRM, advanced analytics, and multichannel solutions—to gain a competitive advantage.

Fortune favors the prepared, and preparation is all about capabilities. Find out what more than 100 distributor CEOs and more than 50 manufacturers, customers and experts on innovation, technology and organizational change have to say.

This book is about helping you build a vision that is the right one for your company. It provides advice for helping you make investments, mobilize people, and get results from your digital investments.

This book provides a soup-to-nuts planning framework, best practices from leading distributors, and ready-to-implement management tools for engaging your leaders and salespeople.

95% of distribution leaders surveyed feel personally empowered to be disruptive change agents within their business. If this describes you, then INNOVATE! is for you.

Does your current strategic-planning process result in continual increases in market share and sustainable profitability? If not, then you want to read this book.

Walk through the principles that drive successful strategy development and execution for wholesaler-distributors of all sizes and lines of trade. Learn how value creation strategy can produce significant and rapid financial benefits.

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

What drives the distributor–manufacturer relationship, how does it go bad, and why? Learn how to avoid the economic and other consequences of this relationship turning sour.

TRENDS IN WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION

This trends study provides wholesaler-distributors, suppliers, customers, and others with strategic insights into the key business and economic trends affecting the supply chain.

This trends study explores the many marketplace disrupters that are causing distributors to rethink their approach to technology, business processes, and, most importantly, the customer experience.

This trends study highlights the “forces of change” that will impact distributors over the next few years. It shows you how to embrace and leverage these forces for improved profitability.

WAREHOUSE AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

This research study is a complete guide to managing a large and often troublesome asset: Inventory. It’s your guide to maximizing the productivity and profitability.

With distributor case studies and 15 years of research, this study helps you execute an innovative inventory management framework that optimizes your value proposition and customer service.

WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION STAPLES

The branch manager is key to success for every wholesaler-distributor. This classic, step-by-step guide shows branch managers how to improve their business and leadership skills.

How can you ensure that your employees are aligned with your goals for high performance and profitability? Give them this straightforward training workbook to speed their learning and retention.

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