Answer to Question #166698 in Marketing for Sunny

Question

Explain the different roles played by business center participants in the purchasing decision process.

Answer 1

Business Discussion

In an organization, the purchasing decisions are made in groups, and the people who make the decisions are called the decision-making unit. Purchase in a business requires clearance from the information and technology department, senior management, accounting, and purchasing departments. There are three types of buyers. There is the economic buyer who buys products for the growth of the company, the infrastructure buyer who buys to determine if the return-on-investment value is worth it, and the user buyer who buys for a business to achieve the set goals. The business participants have specific roles that they play.

The first role is for the initiators. These are business participants who suggest the purchase of the service of the product. They have ideas that would increase profits, and they are sure selling the product or service will be for the company's good. The second role is for the influencers. The influencers try to give opinions that affects the final outcome. The influencers are actively involved in the process and ensure that the right decision is made. The deciders are the other participants who normally have the final decision. Mostly the deciders are the head of the group. Their decision affects the group. The buyers have a role in taking care of the contract, and the end-users are the buyers on the other end of the purchase. The buyers take the idea to action by being on the ground and ensuring that business is done efficiently and effectively. Gatekeepers normally control how the information flows (Medjahed et al., 2003). The flow of information is determined by the nature of business. All the roles are filled by individuals or a group of people who are focused on getting a profit after the transaction.

When it comes to matters business to business, the individuals involved should be well-informed on the process and also completely aware of their decisions. Sin every stage of the deal, they have an influence on the final decision, and the sale, therefore, cannot be made without their consent. A good example is a family business that wants to sell a share of their company. All the business partners or family members need to take up the role of buyers.

In conclusion, business participants are individuals who take part in a business-to-business transaction. They are active and extremely motivated individuals whose sole purpose is to make a profit. The business partners are always thinking of purchasing or buying with the aim of increasing or expanding their business. Such roles are therefore assigned to them to make sure that the best purchasing decision is made. Such individuals, therefore, help to improve the health system and eventually improve the outcome of the business.

Reference

Medjahed, B., Benatallah, B., Bouguettaya, A., Ngu, A. H. (2003). Business-to-business interactions: issues and enabling technologies. The VLDB Journal, 12(1), 59-85.