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Article
Publication date: 1 August 2006

Paul Howard and Declan Doyle

This research is a qualitative study which aims to investigate the intricacies of organisational buying behaviour in the context of the Irish biotechnology industry. Particularly…

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Abstract

Purpose

This research is a qualitative study which aims to investigate the intricacies of organisational buying behaviour in the context of the Irish biotechnology industry. Particularly the research seeks to focus on the phenomenon of buying centres as the core decision‐making unit in an organisation and examines the functionality of such a process. The main aims of the research study is to examine key influencers, as well as to examine the decision process itself so as to fully comprehend modern organisational buyer behaviour and to discuss these issues from a practical viewpoint beneficial to both the marketing and purchasing functions.

Design/methodology/approach

The research process was conducted through qualitative methods, which formed a combination of focus group and key respondent interviewing. A triangular approach of data was also used to obtain quality information and to achieve a platform upon which to base accurate conclusions. A small number of organisations from industry participated in this study, which was deemed sufficient as the purpose of the study was gaining insight as opposed to proving or disproving previous theories.

Findings

It was discovered that users were key influencers in the decision process as were quality control personnel. In addition the business functions were found to be the decision makers in a highly dynamic buying centre process, which is constantly changing in terms of numbers, participation, and structure. Based on the finding of the research newer models of organisation buying behaviour were developed in addition to appropriate marketing strategies being put forward in order to better represent the realities of modern business‐to‐business marketing. This is where the real benefits of this research will be seen as marketing organisations become more efficient, buying organisations develop best practice procedures, and academics can build on this research base to further enhance marketing knowledge.

Originality/value

The paper examines buying centres in Irish biotechnology companies and offers recommendations for future research.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 21 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 April 2020

Yingtong Zhong and Sovan Mitra

The Chinese fashion market is becoming increasingly important in terms of consumption volume and value. A critical aspect of the Chinese fashion market is the role of the fashion…

2776

Abstract

Purpose

The Chinese fashion market is becoming increasingly important in terms of consumption volume and value. A critical aspect of the Chinese fashion market is the role of the fashion retail buyer; however, there exists little literature on their role and their decision-making process. This paper, therefore, explores the role of Chinese fashion retail buyers, their decision-making process as well as the key factors that influence the retail buyer's decision-making process.

Design/methodology/approach

Informed by the inductive approach within Sheth's (1981) framework, in-depth interviews with a number of retail buyers in nine leading fashion companies in China were carried out to explore fashion retail buyers' decision-making processes.

Findings

The results show that management mentality, type of merchandise and type of decision context were the most influencing factors regarding merchandise requirements (MRs). Fashion retail buyers in China are substantially restricted by the management style of the firm, which also influences the product mix choice. To evaluate merchandise, fashion buyers take into account consumer demand, company position, geographical differences and fashion trends. In regards to supplier selection, production stability coupled with quality and cost factors become paramount. The study also demonstrates that country of origin (COO) is a less significant factor in the fashion buyer's decision-making process.

Originality/value

This is the first study that explores the fashion retail buyer's decision-making processes in the Chinese market. The results show Chinese fashion buyers' decision-making processes differ significantly from other markets. This paper offers guidelines for an efficient and effective fashion retail buying process in China. The findings offer important avenues for further research and provide insights for fashion professionals in the Chinese and other emerging markets contexts.

Details

Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, vol. 24 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1361-2026

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 May 2017

Niraj Kumar and Sanjeev Kapoor

Understanding of the farmers’ buying process is of great economic and strategic relevance for agri-business firms. The purpose of this paper is to explain the extensiveness of the…

Abstract

Purpose

Understanding of the farmers’ buying process is of great economic and strategic relevance for agri-business firms. The purpose of this paper is to explain the extensiveness of the buying process of Indian farmers in their purchase of agri-inputs and discusses its implications for agri-industries.

Design/methodology/approach

Four different dimensions of the buying process, namely, buying decision time, number of information sources used, number of evaluated suppliers, and number of conversations with suppliers were used to study the extensiveness of the buying process of the farmers. Responses of 278 farmers were analyzed with the help of mean and frequency distribution, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation coefficient.

Findings

Overall, the extensiveness of the buying process for the frequently purchased inputs was less in comparison to that of the infrequently purchased inputs. However, there were differences in the extensiveness of the buying process for the inputs within the same category. Farmers’ characteristics influenced their buying process and the impact was more evident in case of frequently purchased agri-inputs. All the four dimensions of the farmers’ buying process were found to be positively correlated for most of the agri-inputs.

Research limitations/implications

The farmers’ buying process varies for different agri-inputs and is dependent on the farmers’ characteristics. Firms can use the findings of the study to develop appropriate marketing strategies to broaden their customers’ base and increase sales.

Originality/value

The paper offers an insight into the farmers’ buying process in India and how the farmers behave in different dimensions of the buying process. There are very few studies on the subject carried out in the Indian context.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. 7 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

Content available
Book part
Publication date: 30 July 2018

Abstract

Details

Marketing Management in Turkey
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78714-558-0

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2003

Jeong Eun Park and Michele D. Bunn

Although there is increasing interest in the organizational learning process appearing in the marketing literature, there is relatively little research that relates these concepts…

4674

Abstract

Although there is increasing interest in the organizational learning process appearing in the marketing literature, there is relatively little research that relates these concepts to the organizational buying process. In particular, the concepts involving organizational memory may provide a new perspective on the information search activities of organizational buyers. We provide a brief background on organizational memory and propose a conceptual framework to delineate key variables and relationships. Using two company case studies, we provide examples of eight buying situations defined by differing levels of complexity, physical memory, and cognitive memory and discuss the implications for information search and the type of judgment used.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 18 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1998

Morry Ghingold and David T. Wilson

The make‐up, structure, functioning and outputs of multi‐person buying decision‐making units, commonly referred to as “buying centers,” have received substantial attention in the…

4494

Abstract

The make‐up, structure, functioning and outputs of multi‐person buying decision‐making units, commonly referred to as “buying centers,” have received substantial attention in the business marketing literature. Although most business buying decisions are non‐static in nature, theorists and researchers have been hard pressed to effectively capture the dynamic nature of business buyers’ decision‐making processes. This paper presents a synthesis of recent buying center research and reports the findings of a study which attempted to capture “process effects” in buying center structure during the buying process. Study findings affirm the widely held belief that buying centers change over time and provide interesting insights regarding how these decision‐making units change in structure and make‐up over time. The resulting implications and caveats of these findings for business marketers are discussed.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2002

Regina McNally

Organizational purchasing decisions can be thought of as rule‐discovery tasks in which members of the buying center develop proposals regarding the best choice of products and…

3122

Abstract

Organizational purchasing decisions can be thought of as rule‐discovery tasks in which members of the buying center develop proposals regarding the best choice of products and vendors. The uncertainty associated with buying center decisions causes the group to search for generalizations that describe the distinguishing characteristics of successful suppliers. Such generalizations identify the “rules” used to categorize future vendors; discovery of the best rules is key to accurate classification. Acknowledging the process of searching for patterns not only focuses attention on the information members use to derive patterns, but also provides a mechanism for investigating how members influence each other’s assessment of the patterns. Research into rule‐discovery tasks has the potential to enable monitoring of simulated organizational purchasing decision processes in the controlled environment of an experiment. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a set of propositions and a methodology for examining rule discovery task behavior in buying centers.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 17 no. 2/3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 1982

Anita M. Kennedy

I. Introduction Over the past twenty years, attempts have been made to advance knowledge on industrial buying behaviour as the basis for marketing strategy decisions. In spite of…

Abstract

I. Introduction Over the past twenty years, attempts have been made to advance knowledge on industrial buying behaviour as the basis for marketing strategy decisions. In spite of the recent proliferation of research interests in this area, there remains limited information on questions such as the locus of buying responsibility and the nature of the buying process within potential customer organisations. A brief summary of industrial buying literature serves to exemplify this point:

Details

Management Decision, vol. 20 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1997

Philip L. Dawes, Paul G. Patterson and David F. Midgley

Using data collected from 302 firms spanning a wide range of industry sectors, tests a model designed to explain the decision of whether to use or not to use an outside technical…

1093

Abstract

Using data collected from 302 firms spanning a wide range of industry sectors, tests a model designed to explain the decision of whether to use or not to use an outside technical consultant when purchasing a big‐ticket, high technology product in the information technology area. The results indicate that different categories of variables influence the decision to include or not to include an outside technical consultant in the buying center. In order to assess the degree of convergent validity in our findings, a second model was tested using a somewhat different, but nonetheless related dependent measure, namely the extent of the consultants’ involvement across eight buying stages. Overall, the model testing results provide good support for the majority of the hypothesized relationships, especially those related to the buyer’s access to external networks, product class knowledge, and technical/administrative role. A major finding is that 28 percent of firms in our sample engaged an outside consultant to help them make the purchasing decision. Analysis of the consultants’ extent of participation in these purchasing decisions indicates that they had high involvement in seven of the eight buying stages. Though the consultants were found to have least involvement in the final stage of the buying process, i.e. the selection of the preferred supplier, it seems reasonable to expect that they are key influencers in this final stage as they had a significant effect on shaping all the preceding buying stages.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 12 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2001

Lambros G. Laios and Socrates J. Moschuris

This article reports on the influence of the enterprise type on the purchasing decision process within selected product types and phases by using analysis of variance on data from…

5939

Abstract

This article reports on the influence of the enterprise type on the purchasing decision process within selected product types and phases by using analysis of variance on data from Greek manufacturing and utility enterprises. Our study examined the influence of enterprise type on four parameters of the purchasing decision process, across two different product types and four phases of the purchasing process. The results suggested that all but one parameter varied considerably among the different types of enterprises, and that companies adopt an appropriate structural configuration, which fits to the attributes of the purchased items and the mission of the enterprises.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 21 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

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