Organizational buying behavior: past performance and future expectations

Abstract

Reviews the academic research conducted on organizational buying behavior since the publication of Sheth’s model of industrial buying behavior in 1973. Discovers an impressive amount of research primarily focused on the decision‐making process, environmental influences and conflict resolution in joint decisions. Also, there is an emerging area of research on supply‐chain partnering and the use of information technology such as networked computing and online data services. States that there is a surplus of empirical studies using descriptive methods and that more analytical approaches on the one hand, and conceptual constructs on the other. Focusses on future academic research in organizational buying behavior. Concludes that purchasing function is dramatically shifting from the transaction‐oriented to the relational‐oriented philosophy, and it is also shifting from domestic to global sourcing. This will change the role, processes and strategies of procurement and, therefore, new research opportunities will emerge for academic scholars. These include understanding suppliers as customers; cross‐functional supplier teaming; economic value of supplier equity; supply experience curves; hub and spoke organization; bonding with suppliers; global sourcing processes; cross‐cultural values in purchasing; cross‐national rules and regulations; and service procurement.