Technical developments in manufacturing and increasingly efficient systems for
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configurations available. The main feature of the new configurations is the
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distribution arrangements by comparing the features of these arrangements with
those of `traditional channels'. For this analysis we use two concepts developed
by Wroe Alderson half a century ago: sorting and transvection. The article
explores the features of a transvection and the role of sorting in each of the
two channel contexts. We conclude that the transvection concept is particularly
well-suited for understanding the characteristics and effects of the evolving
distribution arrangements. We also explain how sorting is fundamental to both
types of channels, although its role is different in the two settings.
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