A Review of Research Progress on Direct Selling in China Mainland and Taiwan

The paper reviewed research progress of direct selling in China mainland and Taiwan, introduced the mainly research contents in this field in social level, enterprise level, direct distributor level and consumer level, compared the research in China mainland with them in Taiwan. The conclusions can provide references for researchers, government, consumers and public people. This research showed that with matured development of direct selling industry in Taiwan, many scholars in Taiwan focused on direct selling industry in long-term, they published many high quality academic papers, and major contents of their research involved operation and management of enterprises or direct sellers. In China mainland, multilevel direct selling is restricted by laws, half of scholars in mainland focus on laws and institutions about direct selling, but only a few scholars focus on direct selling industry in long-term, and they published a few high quality academic papers. Many masters’ theses and a few doctoral dissertations involved direct selling. Academic research on direct selling in China mainland was behind which in Taiwan.