A soft drink company has been working with the same trucking company for ten years. Recently, their relationship has become strained as their contract comes up for renewal. The soft drink company wants to renew the contract with similar terms, while the trucking company wants to renegotiate rates to take into account rising gas prices. This is an example of:

a) disintermediation.

b) channel conflict.

c) stock-out.

d) vertical integration.

e) outsourcing.