B2B marketers have become increasingly aware of the rational buying behavior of their
customers. Research suggests that rationality play a role in purchasing decisions, and serve as a
principle for business buyers. To offer insights on the application of rationality in the business
and industrial markets, this project seeks responses from future marketers who face this gap.
Each student will write a summary paper after conducting extensive literature review on rational
decision making on purchasing. The summary should be an integrated report about critical
considerations and good practices in rational decision making related to purchasing.
The summary paper is expected to addresses the following points:
(1) What are the reasons for being rational when a manager makes purchasing decisions?
(2) Are there times when the manager has to use intuition- or emotion-based decision
making rather than rationality-based decision making, and why?
(3) What are the critical factors that need to be included in the rational consideration set
when a manager makes rational purchasing decisions?
(4) How do market conditions and macro-economic conditions influence a manager’s
decision making process?
(5) How does business relationship influence a manager’s decision making process?
(6) What kind of research should a manager conduct before rational decision making in
purchasing?
(7) When a manager finds her/himself having to make long-term decisions in the business
market, what extra steps does s/he take to ensure that it is a rational decision?
(8) How does a manager know a purchasing decision previously made is right or wrong?
(9) What factors are often neglected in a manager’s purchasing decision making process?
Why?
(10) How does personal experience influence a manager’s rationality when making
purchasing decisions?
Summary Paper Requirements:
1. Citation: The paper should be primarily based on your own summary efforts during the course.
You are advised NOT to directly quote or paraphrase from external statements. However,
when external information is needed to support an argument or finding, it is required to cite
the source. Failing to provide citations and references may result in academic
dishonesty/plagiarism charges.
2. Length: The paper should include title, student name, body text, and references. The body of
the paper should be a minimum of 4 pages, single-spaced, with 1 inch margin.
The summary paper is 50 points, and will be graded based on: Number of factors
found and elaborated in each question (40%); Significance of argument (30%); and Quality of
writing and articulation (30%). Each research question will be assessed by the instructor using
a rubric described on Blackboard.