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Research on industrial buying decisions has developed along two major themes after the publication of the seminal buyclass framework by Robinson et al. in 1967. One stream of research seeks to extend or delimit the framework to a variety of buying contexts and product categories, while the other focusses on various emerging forms of buyer‐seller relationships within industrial buying. In an attempt to integrate these two streams calls for detailed attention to the strategic importance of procurement. Elaborates on the conditions which lend a strategic character to any procurement and makes predictions on the appropriate form used for buyer‐seller relationships under various firm‐specific and environmental conditions. Also, shows that such strategic considerations and variations in buyer‐seller relationships for procurement can be characterized within a modified form of the original buyclass framework. In doing so, reconfirms the robustness of the core propositions of the buyclass framework. Draws some implications for the development of procurement relationships for industrial buyers and sellers.

Reports on an investigation of the buying behaviour of air freight forwarders and tests the validity of one particular model of buying behaviour. The dominant buyclass in freight forwarding is seen to be a modified rebuy and the model is seen to be appropriate. The significance of service rather than price is again noted as a factor for business exploitation.

Drawing from the contingency model, this study aims to investigate the moderating effects of business-to-business (B2B) buyer personal characteristics on the relationship between sales activities and sales effectiveness.

As an application of engaged scholarship, this study leverages a years’ worth of sales activity and results from a Fortune 500 financial services company for 2,710 dyads; personal characteristics (i.e. geodemographics) were appended for the customers/prospects of the dyads. The data was analyzed with hierarchical regression, and subgroups were tested using the Chow test.

The results support that geodemographic segments – as a proxy for personal characteristics – moderate the strength of the relationship between selling activities and sales effectiveness. Overall, the results demonstrate that selling activities have varying impacts on sales effectiveness within geodemographic segments and buyclass scenarios.

While it has been long held that understanding the personal characteristics of the B2B purchasing decision-maker is critical for sales effectiveness, little guidance has been provided on how to accomplish this to scale. The present study provides a framework and process for practitioner operationalization.

This research contributes to the literature that has explored personal characteristics of buying center members. Additionally, the results suggest that personal characteristics of the purchase decision-maker may transcend business-to-consumer and B2B purchasing contexts.

Presents the buygrid model, taken from industrial marketing, and extends it to include logistical service operations. Applies the model to selected logistical research literature. The effect of this perspective is to recognize multiple sets or segments of service offerings and performance levels. This approach allows for, and provides explanation for, categories of customer service packages in order to meet the diverse needs of firms’ customers. The extended model provides for three categories of customer service needs. Each category may expect different levels of performance and may require different service attributes from the firm. Concludes that there does appear to be a consistent and appealing relationship between the buygrid model and the elements of customer service associated with logistics.

Assesses the influence that certain retail buyer characteristics have on how the buyers approach their buying task. By examining five different buyer characteristics and the relative importance that individual buyers place on six different product attributes, draws some pertinent conclusions as to how the buying task is approached. A total of 100 interviews were conducted with UK retail buyers of textiles and clothing in 35 companies, covering 62 separate divisions. The context for each interview was that of a new buy where the options were to source locally or from an international source. A PC‐based package (judgmental analysis system, or JAS) was used to assess the importance of six buying criteria derived from the literature and perceived to be relevant in organisational buying. The results confirm what have been largely theoretical ideas of linkages between buyer characteristics and the importance that they place on different criteria during the decision‐making process. Clear correlations exist, and these can be explained and supported by the qualitative data gathered during the study.

Marketing literature has long concerned itself with the purchasing behaviour of organisations and provides suitable models for the evaluation of such decision‐making processes. Analysts evaluating international shipping, on the other hand, have been preoccupied with industry structure — its efficiency and its competitiveness — often viewing shippers as being homogeneous (price‐oriented). This article proposes to assess the purchase of international transport services, specifically container shipping services, from a marketer's viewpoint in order to determine the factors which limit the inclusion of a carrier in a shipper's choice set.

Proposes that grouping industrial market transactions into separate segments can be aided by use of individual dimensions and combinations of dimensions. Examines the idea that knowledge about the composition of the decision‐making unit or buying centre in specified situations helps marketers to design or modify communication programmes – concentrating attention on those market segments to which the competitive advantages are most meaningful. Uses interviews with purchasing personnel (over several years with more than 30 organisations in the USA, of differing products/services, location and size). Says there is a four dimensional classification system for industrial buying situations and these are: buyers' familiarity with the buying task (new or rebuy); product type; importance of the purchase to the buying organisation; and principal type of uncertainty present in the purchase situation. Goes on to discuss these and uses tables for extra emphasis in explanation. Concludes that interview data suggest that the use of situational segmentation, when combined with segmentation based on ability to refine market programmes, select the most promising on which to focus.

Investigates whether institutional and industrial organizations buying capital items exhibit different patterns of structural configuration across the purchasing cycle. Measures the structure of the purchasing function by three composite parameters especially developed for this research. These parameters express aspects of articulation, depth of analysis and decentralization respectively, and are measured for each of four purchasing cycle phases. Using regression analysis on data from certain Greek organizations, aims to investigate the differences in the purchasing structure arising from capital items purchases of institutions and industrial organizations respectively. This can help industrial marketeers to adapt their strategies to institutions′ purchasing patterns.

The food service sector represents almost two fifths of total household expenditure on food and continues to grow at a pace. While the major part of the food service industry remains highly fragmented, the importance of restaurant chains is increasing. Examines procurement policies adopted by chain restaurants using the buygrid model and presents the findings from six case studies. Concludes that restaurant chains have adopted many of the procurement practices introduced by the multiple retailers (centralized buying and distribution) and tend to look for similar characteristics in their suppliers ‐ volume, quality, consistency and competitive prices. The buygrid model was found to be a good predictor of buyer behaviour among restaurant chains.

Principally concerned with the manner in which different types of personnel in the organisational structure approach purchasing decisions. States that the fact that industrial purchasing decisions are seldom made in a coldly logical fashion is becoming increasingly accepted. Examines some reasons why there is a considerable amount of stability in the relationships existing between industrial goods suppliers and their customers. Concludes it may take some time to build up a close relationship between supplier and customer – giving a supplier time to take defensive action if it is thought necessary.