[andrekuper]

For my consumer behavior course I have to write something about the 7 buying roles in the business buying process for the German culture. Now I found some information about how German people do business but nothing good about the 7 buying roles.

The following are the 7 buying roles:

1. The Initiators who request that something must be purchased
2. The Users who use the product or service and initiate the buying proposal and help define product requirements.
3. The Influencers who influence the buying decision and help define specifications, provide informations from evaluating alternatives.
4. The deciders who decide on product requirements or on suppliers.
5. The approvers who authorize the proposed requirements or suppliers.
6. The buyers who have formal authority to select the supplier and arrange the purchase terms and help to shape product specifications.
7. The gatekeepers who have the power to prevent sellers or information from reaching member of the buying center.

I found out that the German business system is very top to bottom affair and that the top management normally makes all decision, but in a business who do you think applies to each of these different roles?

[Zmniubqr]

pardon... what???

[Knillagrarp]

should change the subject to "question to german business leaturer"

did you take the 7 whatever from a book?

[Zmniubqr]

i dont even get the question...


aren't the 7 roles you give the answer to the question?
and i am currently thinking who in our company would be the gatekeeper

i gues this whole thing focuses on businesses??

[xochex]

I think that for any country the answers you're looking for will be different, depending on the business and its size, structure and whatnot. I study marketing so I recognize the seven roles, but I don't think you can just give one answer for all German busineses.

I believe that German work ethic is a bit strict in following rules and it's a bit formal, though I'm not sure about this - I suppose it's your job to find more about that. Also, a question: aren't you by any chance just looking for an example of one company? Something like this..:

McDonald's restaurant

1. The Initiators: regular staff suggests the toaster is broken
2. The Users: regular staff suggests acquiring a new toaster
3. The Influencers: restaurant manager and franchise owner discuss which toaster to buy
4. The deciders: franchise owner decides on a toaster
5. The approvers: regional McDonald's office has to approve the toaster
6. The buyers: regional McDonald's office buys the toaster, franchise owner buys from office
7. The gatekeepers: gatekeepers on higher levels will be the regional offices, as they pick the suppliers. On lower levels the managers and franchise owners decide whether or not to even consider a new toaster at all

Hope this helps.

[andrekuper]

Thanks Twonha it helps.. Like you said it's not possible to give like one solution for the German culture. All companies are different and everyone has different roles. Why the teacher would ask a question like this is beyond me, cause it's just impossible to find out. I did look at some German corporate structures and it shows there are lots of different departments with all their own specific part of the business process. This would show that the 7 buying roles should be clearly split in a culture like Germany. Hmm.. I hate vague questions like these haha.. thx anyway