Organizational Decision-Making as a Segmentation Base for Industrial Markets
Sharma, Arun
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/70479
Description
Title
Organizational Decision-Making as a Segmentation Base for Industrial Markets
Author(s)
Sharma, Arun
Issue Date
1988
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Winter, Frederick W.
Department of Study
Business Administration
Discipline
Business Administration
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Business Administration, Marketing
Abstract
Over half of America's economic activity is accounted by industrial marketing. This dissertation examines segmentation of industrial markets based on the way organizations make buying decisions or their 'decision styles'. It was posited that the decision style of an organization can be identified by externally available information. It was also posited that there are preferences for certain communication strategy within each decision style.
Telephone interviews were conducted with 109 organizations which had recently bought a phone system. Data was collected from these organizations on buying characteristics, demographic profile of the organization and, their response to communication mix. The data was analyzed by first classifying the organizations based on their decision styles, identifying them with externally available indicators and analyzing their response to sales strategy.
The results showed three decision styles which could be identified with externally visible variables. The decision styles also showed preference for certain sales strategy. Based on these findings, the implications for industrial marketers are discussed.
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