The Business Marketing Course

Managing in Complex Networks

David Ford
Pierre Berthon Stephen Brown Lars-Erik Gadde Hakan Hakansson Peter Naude Thomas Ritter Ivan Snehota

JOHN WILEY & SONS, LTD

Chichesrer New York Weinheim Brisbane Singapore Toronto

CONTENTS

NOTES ON THE AUTHORS

xi

PREFACE
CHAPTER 1

xiii

Understanding Business Marketing and Purchasing Aims of this chapter Introduction The nature of business markets A definition of business marketing Are close relationships always a good idea? Relationships, markets and networks What (and why) do companies buy? Customer uncertainties Supplier abilities Problems and uncertainties for the supplier Conclusion Further reading
CHAPTER 2

1 1 1 3 6 7 8 10 20 23 24 27 28 29 29 30 36 38 40 44 47 48 49 51 51 51

$ Business Marketing and Networks Aims of this chapter Different types of networks The content of companies and relationships Patterns in a network Single relationships Connected relationships Positions in a network Conclusion Further reading
CHAPTER 3

Understanding Technology in Business Networks Aims of this chapter Introduction: the impact of technology on business marketing

[viii]
CONTENTS

Technology in a company Technology and networks Conclusion Further reading

CHAPTER 4

53 65 71 72

Understanding Customers Aims of this chapter The importance of purchasing and suppliers The customer's problems Who is involved in purchasing? How companies buy Strategic choices in purchasing Conclusion Further reading
CHAPTER 5

73 73 73 76 77 79 87 91 92

Managing Relationships with Customers Aims of this chapter The tasks of business marketing management Managing a single relationship Auditing business relationships Conclusion Further reading
CHAPTER 6

95 95 96 103 116 119 120

Building Offering: Developing the Promise Aims of this chapter What is an offering? Quality of offerings Offerings in relationships Offerings and abilities Strategic decisions on offerings Developing offerings Conclusion Further reading
CHAPTER 7

121 121 121 125 128 129 130 133 140 141

Transferring the Offering: Fulfilling the Promise Aims of this chapter Introduction: difficulties in fulfilment Understanding transfer ability Managing operations: approaches and problems Specific aspects of operations and their links to fulfilment

143 143 144 147 147 149

C ONTENTS

Fulfilment and third parties Conclusion Further reading

CHAPTER 8

158 160 161

Price, Costs and Value Aims of this chapter The problems of pricing Fundamentals of business pricing Price and customer problems Price and the offering Price and costs Price and value Price and quality Price and relationships Price and the relationship portfolio Price and the network Price and competition Controlling price Price and time Conclusion Further reading
CHAPTER 9

163 163 163 164 166 169 171 175 176 177 180 181 182 183 184 186 187

Developments in Business Marketing Aims of this chapter How marketing is changing The Internet, the Web and business marketing The Web and cost reduction Information and learning Links and nodes: direct linking and the new nodes Ways of interacting on the Web The factors that determine the way companies interact on the Web Changes in interaction Conclusion Further reading
CHAPTER 10

189 189 189 194 197 199 200 202 205 206 207 208

Developing Marketing Strategy Aims of this chapter The concept of strategy The content of strategy The strategy process

209 209 209 211 213

[X]
CONTENTS

Strategy development process Management's role in strategy development The role of strategic market planning Strategy content and options Conclusion: strategy, content and process Further reading
INDEX

214 220 221 222 232 232

233