Phoenix, Arizona, October 4, 2004– CorePurpose, Inc., a management consulting, software and outsourced solutions provider, today announced the release of Connecting Resources: A Primer for Electronics Distribution – coauthored by CorePurpose founder Joan Koerber-Walker and Laurie Kane-Sellers and Dr. Ben Zoghi of Texas A&M University.

Approaching $50 billion per year on a global basis, the Electronics Distribution industry sits at the center of both the supply chain and the demand chain for a multitude of industries from industrial to military and from corporate to consumer goods. Now a new text from Thomson Learning provides a complete roadmap and reference manual for building lasting and profitable distribution relationships.

Connecting Resources: A Primer for the Electronics Distribution Industry delivers a comprehensive overview of the structure and challenges within the electronics distribution industry including: the history, players, business practices, policies and procedures, programs, systems, and trends. Information is organized in a logical sequence beginning with product analysis, channel strategies and partner selection, business planning, and conflict resolution. The detailed discussion of authorization agreements addresses some of the critical issues to consider in implementing successful channel relationships.

Authored by a team of experts representing the leading academic research university for distribution studies, as well as decades of practical experience from both the manufacturer and the distributor’s perspective, Connecting Resources provides a balanced view of the inside workings of the electronics distribution industry, its challenges and its opportunities.

“With the crash of the technology sector in 2000 and the subsequent hard road to recovery, many of the veterans of the electronics industry have retired, shifted to new companies or left the industry completely” shared Joan Koerber-Walker. “Connecting Resources pulls together shared learning from industry executives from both the suppliers and the distributors to create a tool to help train new employees, educate team members on the workings of distribution, and stay on top of emerging distribution trends.”

Connecting Resources is available at CorePurpose.com, Amazon.com and Borders.com

Features and Benefits:

• Chapter Inserts: Real world examples from industry executives

• Balanced Perspective: Two primary authors approach the issues from the supplier and distributor standpoint in order to present both sides of the issues

• Practical Exercises: Reflection exercises in chapters 1-14 enable readers to practice concepts discussed in the respective chapter

• Key Terms: Acronyms and terms are explained throughout the text as well as in a glossary in the back of the book

• Allegory: Allegory at the beginning of chapters 2-14 reinforces the objectives of each chapter and enables readers to understand the interconnections of the concepts and business practices characteristic of this industry.

Combining Academic Excellence with Decades of Industry Experience

The Authors:

Laurie Kane-Sellers, MA, MBA is a faculty member at Texas A&M University teaching Electronics Distribution Networks in the Industrial Distribution program in the College of Engineering. She combines twenty years experience at Texas Instruments, Inc in the areas of sales, marketing, management, and operations with her current responsibilities of Education Foundation Director of the National Electronic Distributors Association (NEDA) and staff co-editor of the Review of the Electronics and Industrial Distribution Industries, the journal focused on advancing the electronic and industrial distribution industries. In addition to her activities in the class room and across the industry, her areas of research and publications include Change Theory, Adult Education, Services Models, and the Challenges of Globalization in the Distribution Industry.

Joan Koerber Walker, MBA is CEO and founder of CorePurpose, Inc., (www.CorePurpose.com) an Arizona based consulting and services distributor. A speaker, author and advisor to business on strategies that build businesses and the execution of those strategies, Joan specializes in helping people and organizations get from where they are – to where they want to be. Her career includes over 25years of experience in technology distribution and work with over 700 technology companies worldwide. She spent 20 years with Avnet, Inc. serving in a wide range of positions including Management, Marketing, Sales, Contracts, and Operations.

Dr. Ben Zoghi, P.E. is a full professor at Texas A&M University and Registered Professional Engineer. He holds the Leonard and Valerie Bruce Leadership Chair and is the Program Coordinator of the Industrial Distribution Program and Executive Director of Thomas and Joan Read Center for Distribution Research and Education. His specialties and interests are service-based leadership, managing in complex environments and information networking. Zoghi is a Motorola Fellow and has extensive technical and managerial experience with the electronic, telecommunication and semiconductor industries. Dr. Zoghi holds a PhD. in Engineering from Texas A&M University, MSEE from The Ohio State University, and BSEE from Seattle University.

MSRP: $ 96.95

About CorePurpose, Inc.

Headquartered in Arizona, CorePurpose, Inc., is a consulting and solutions company specializing in focusing companies for greater success through high impact activities that link directly to results. Together with members of the CoreAllianceSM, CorePurpose, Inc. works with companies and organizations to align internal resources to their areas focus while offering resources for mentoring, implementation and outsourcing in non-core areas or areas where additional support is required including: HR, Sales and Marketing, Operations, IT, and Finance. For more information about CorePurpose, Inc., and to view the listing and experience of CoreAlliance Members visit: www.CorePurpose.com.

CONTACT: CorePurpose, Inc.
Joan Koerber-Walker, 480/921-3933
jkw@corepurpose.net

CorePurpose® is a registered service mark of CorePurpose, Inc.

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