The Organizational
Buyer Behavior
Learning Organization
G. Tomas M. Hult
Ernest L. Nichols, Jr.
This study develops a framework of integrated propositions
of organizational learning in organizational buyer behavior. The
focus is on the communication activities and relationships between
and within the strategic business units operating within
the purchasing process. Field support for the proposed relationships
is provided in a series of case studies based on interviews
with 30 managers of lO strategic business units of a major publicly
owned global services organization. Implications are discussed
based on the framework and the case studies.
Address correspondence to G. Tomas M. Huh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
of Marketing and Multinational Business, Department of Marketing, College
of Business, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306.
This research was supported by a grant from the Federal Express Corporation
and the Federal Express Center for Cycle Time Research. The authors are grateful
for the helpful insights and suggestions provided by O. C. Ferrell, Thomas N.
Ingram, Patrick L. Schul, James C. Wetherbe, and Mark N. Frolick during different
stages of this research.
INTRODUCTION
Chris, a newly hired marketing research analyst in the organization,
needed a computer and printer for the office.
Chris ordered a system following purchasing department
procedures. Purchasing processed the order for the computer
that arrived in 2 weeks, but held up the order for Chris's
printer until enough printers were needed by the organization
to get a quantity discount. Six weeks after the order
was placed, Chris received the printer. Purchasing received
a quantity discount for the organization's printer order. What
purchasing did not consider was the productivity loss to Chris
during the 6 weeks of not having a printer.
The problem Chris encountered is common to most organizations.
The purchasing culture often does not allow
for input from users when it comes to evaluating the importance
of cost factors versus total cycle times of the process.
Commonly, the purchasing department views the cycle
time of the process as too intangible to measure. No
real benefits and values can be found in the reduction in
the purchasing cycle. However, as illustrated in this brief
Industrial Marketing Management 25, 197-207 (1996)
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