The impact of the recruiting and training practices on the satisfaction and success in the network marketing distribution channel

The network marketing distribution channel has experienced a constant growth during the last decades. It began nearly fifty years ago with the marketing of detergents and cosmetics. Today, the network marketing channel distributes all kinds of tangible goods as well as a variety of services. In 1994, 17 million participants worldwide generated ;This research examines the impact of the recruiting and training practices. Additionally, it incorporates a study of the upline support, within the context of this industry, on the satisfaction and success levels of the participants. The recruiting phase is characterized by an aggressive "employee" (potential participant) search by the "employer" (upline), which concentrates around the recruiting of relatives and acquaintances.;The training program is handled by existing participants who, by virtue of their experience in the current network marketing company assume the role of trainers. This research examines the impact of this practice on the satisfaction and success levels of its participants. Finally, this research examined the impact of upline support on its network. In the same manner that conventional employees perceive immediate management and organizational support, network marketing participants are affected by the support they perceived from their upline.;The results indicated that the recruiting method had no effect on the satisfaction and success levels of participants. However, in general, the results suggested that the success and satisfaction levels of the participants were affected by the recruiting practices of the network marketing industry.;The results also suggested that the satisfaction and success of the participants were affected by the training practices of the network marketing distribution channel. It appears that the trainer's lack of training does have a negative effect on the trainees. Similarly, the level of management involvement was found to be positively related to the level of satisfaction and success of the participants.