The Buying Center

Apply the buying center concept to a firm, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency you work for, or are familiar with, for the purchase of new laptop computers for their employees. Begin by briefly summarizing your selected organization. What is it? What does it do?

List the different roles in a buying center and analyze who (from your selected firm, nonprofit organization, or government agency) would occupy the different roles of the buying center. Justify the reason for selecting these job titles or departments for the various roles in the buying center. Which members of the buying center should the salesperson focus on when selling to your firm? Why? Explain how the buying process differs between organizations and consumers as it would be applied to the organization you have selected.