A pharmaceutical company seeks the help of a consultant to study their distribution strategy. The company deals in ethical products and distributes them directly to chemists, hospitals and selected doctors without the use of any wholesale channel. Though the system has worked fairly satisfactorily, the company intends to examine if competitors' strategy, involving the use of wholesalers, would be more effective in achieving better penetration, particularly in the interior markets. The case incorporates a research brief received by the consultant from the company. Students are expected to evaluate whether the supplied brief is adequate for preparing a consulting proposal. They can also be asked to act as consultants and prepare a proposal.