Why Studying the Purchasing Agent is Not Enough

Abstract

The industrial buying function is substantially more complex than it initially appears. It involves many people at all levels in a firm, often with vastly different views; it often is a protracted activity lasting many months; and it may even be influenced by factors that are largely unrelated to the quality and price of the product being sold. Hence, studies that tell about the activities of a purchasing agent or buyer tell only a small part of the story. The most useful information to marketing management comes from studies that focus on functions rather than individuals.