Earl Naumann

Determining buying center size

Abstract This research utilized microcontigency analysis to study buying center size. The constructs of purchase situations and purchase phases were drawn from the early organizational buyer behavior models and were validated as being significantly related to buying center size. The results have implications for industrial marketing research and strategy.

Examining the Practices of United States and Japanese Market Research Firms

Market research firms offer an essential service to their clients by providing information to reduce uncertainty in decision making. Research in the United States has identified techniques used by firms to generate such information. Similar research has provided limited insight to European research firms. However, little attention has been paid to these firms in Japan. Given the similarity of usage of practices between Japanese and U.S. market research firms, U.S. firms may be able to utilize Japanese market research firms to do research in Japan or the Pacific Rim.

Systems theory approach to conducting industrial marketing research

Abstract Two decades ago, leading marketing academicians called for the application of systems theory to marketing study (Fisk, 1967; Lazer and Kelly, 1962). Since then, few researchers have applied an open-systems level of analysis to the study of industrial marketing. While a few researchers have started moving in this direction (Spekman, 1977; Spekman and Stern, 1979), integration of open-systems concepts holds tremendous further potential as a research agenda in industrial marketing. The purpose here is to demonstrate how such an open-systems approach should and can be used in order to conduct productive research within the industrial- marketing setting. An empirical example of this approach is presented as well as the theoretical basis for the approach. This approach has considerable merit for basic or theory building, as well as for applied-research motive.

The Relationship between Organizational Structure and Power in the Buying Center

A congruency theory approach is utilized to examine power within the industrial buying center. A mail survey of 204 individual purchasing agents was utilized to explore their bases of power in the purchasing decision process. Findings indicate that the bases of power appear to be independent of dimensions of organization structure. These results have implications for both industrial marketing strategy and industrial marketing research.