66) In routine buying, buyers are often the ________, or at least the approvers.
A) monitors
B) influencers
C) gatekeepers
D) deciders
E) primary advertisers
67) Which of the following is an environmental factor that influences business buyers?
A) organizational procedures
B) individual motives
C) organizational objectives
D) supply of key materials
E) group dynamics
68) Business buyers are heavily influenced by factors in the current and expected economic
environment, such as ________.
A) level of primary demand
B) organizational objectives
C) group dynamics
D) individual motives
E) culture and customs
69) The major influences on the buying process at General Aeronautics Limited include supply
conditions and technological changes, which would both be categorized as ________ factors.
A) organizational
B) individual
C) systemic
D) interpersonal
E) environmental
70) ________ can strongly influence business buyer reactions to the marketer’s behavior and
strategies, especially in the international marketing environment.
A) Political developments
B) Culture and customs
C) Technological changes
D) Competitive developments
E) The cost of money
71) Which of the following is an organizational factor that influences business buyers?
A) technology
B) company procedures
C) employee attitudes
D) employee motives
E) group dynamics
72) Which of the following factors influencing the business buying process do marketers
typically find most difficult to assess?
A) economic
B) technological
C) interpersonal
D) organizational
E) environmental
73) Factors such as a firm’s objectives, procedures, and systems are examples of ________
influences on the business buyer behavior.
A) political
B) interpersonal
C) technological
D) organizational
E) cultural
74) If a buying center is most influenced by authority in the business buying process, it can be
safely concluded that ________ factors have a major influence on its buying behavior.
A) technological
B) systemic
C) interpersonal
D) strategic
E) economic
75) After searching extensively for vendors, Shalina D’Souza, the owner of a manufacturing
firm, selected Texcom Technologies Inc. as her firm’s primary supplier of bearings and shafts
of a specific dimension. Shalina is currently preparing an order form that specifies the number
of shafts needed and the expected time of delivery. In other words, she is preparing the
________.
A) order routine specification
B) general needs description
C) product specification
D) marketing mix
E) product mix
Refer to the scenario below to answer the following question(s).
Alpha Stampings Inc. produces 14 metal stampings for the automotive industry. Due to
industry design changes and consumer demands, for the next financial year, six of those
stampings will require a slight change: two will have an extra hole punched through the side,
two will require an extra plating process, and two will require an additional weld operation.
In the meantime, purchasing agent Richard Koehl has been asked to reduce the number of
Alpha’s steel suppliers in an effort to cut costs. After obtaining updated price quotations and
steel samples from his current suppliers, Richard faced a dilemma. Until now, he had selected
his suppliers based on quality and price, but the major consideration had been the type of steel
required and the specialized production processes of his respective suppliers. Not all of Alpha’s
suppliers could produce the exact grades of steel needed; some suppliers were better at
producing certain types of steel than others.
Richard contacted several employees at Alpha who had worked with the various types of steel
in the past. The quality control manager and line inspector, for example, could help to
determine which suppliers had the capabilities of producing specific types of steel. The
production control manager could provide input regarding which types of steel worked best in
which presses. The warehouse foreman gave inputs regarding how long various types of steel
could be held in inventory before rust spots began to form on their surfaces. Each person
contributed the necessary information to help Richard in making his decision.
76) In this scenario, which of the following had the greatest influence on the business buying
behavior at Alpha Stampings?
A) individual preferences
B) organizational structure
C) interpersonal influences
D) technological changes
E) cultures and customs
77) The management’s directive to reduce the number of steel suppliers refers to the influence
of ________ factors affecting the business buying behavior of Alpha.
A) political
B) organizational
C) interpersonal
D) individual
E) cultural
78) In a straight rebuy, the buyer wants to alter product specifications, prices, terms, or
suppliers.
79) A company buying a product or service for the first time faces a new task situation.
80) The buying center is a fixed and formally identified unit within the buying organization.
81) Within the organization, buying activity consists of two major parts: the buying center and
the buying decision process.
82) Influencers often help define specifications and also provide information for evaluating
alternatives.
83) Gatekeepers have formal or informal power to select or approve the final suppliers.
84) Rachel Stein works for the LeBray Beverage Company. She helps define product
specifications and also provides information for evaluating alternatives. Rachel plays the role of
gatekeeper.
85) Business buyers are subject primarily to economic influences when they make their buying
decisions. Emotional or personal factors rarely are involved.
86) What happens in a modified rebuy?
87) How do influencers contribute to the purchase decision process?
88) What is the primary function of gatekeepers in an organization?
89) How do interpersonal factors influence the business buying process?
90) What functions do buyers serve in a buying center?
91) Why is it difficult to assess interpersonal factors that influence the business buying process?
92) Describe the major types of buying situations.
93) Explain the advantages of systems selling.
94) Define a buying center and the major roles played by members of an organization in the
purchase decision process.
95) “The buying center concept presents a major marketing challenge.” What does a business
marketer need to learn in order to deal with the challenge effectively?
96) Discuss the major influences on business buyers.
97) Buyers who face a ________ usually go through all stages of the buying process.
A) straight rebuy
B) modified rebuy
C) new task buying situation
D) routine buying situation
E) need for limited problem solving
98) In the beginning of the buying process, Timothy Perry, a product development manager,
noticed that the raw materials that were being procured from his company’s regular supplier
were of poor quality. Consequently, he decided to change the existing supplier as a remedial
measure. The stage of the buying process in which Timothy identified the quality breach
represents the ________ stage.
A) problem recognition
B) general needs description
C) product specification
D) supplier search
E) performance review
99) ________ occurs when someone in the company identifies a need that can be met by
acquiring a specific product or service.
A) Solutions selling
B) Proposal solicitation
C) Problem recognition
D) Performance review
E) Real-time marketing
100) Which of the following is an example of an internal stimulus that would most likely lead
to problem recognition?
A) A buyer gets a new idea from an advertisement.
B) A buyer gets a new idea at a trade show.
C) A buyer is unhappy with a current supplier’s product quality.
D) A buyer receives a call from a salesperson offering better service.
E) A buyer learns about a new product at an industry convention.
101) The first step of the business buying process is ________.
A) general needs description
B) product specification
C) order-routine specification
D) problem recognition
E) performance review
102) Ross Stuart is a purchasing manager in a Texas-based manufacturing company. He
sources most of the raw materials needed by his company from Kramer Corp. However, Ross is
unhappy with Kramer’s prices. Additionally, he thinks that the quality of the raw materials
supplied by Kramer is substandard. Which of the following stages in the business buying
process is Ross’ company currently in?
A) general needs description
B) problem recognition
C) product specification
D) order-routine specification
E) performance review
103) Sam Doharty, a purchasing manager in Willard Groups of Companies, is currently
working with engineers and consultants to define the items to be purchased. Additionally, Sam
and his team are ranking the importance of reliability, durability, and price desired in the items.
In other words, they are preparing a(n) ________.
A) decision tree
B) supplier list
C) product proposal
D) order-routine specification
E) general need description
104) In the ________ stage of the buying process, the alert business marketer can help the
buyers define their needs and provide information about the value of different product
characteristics.
A) problem recognition
B) general needs description
C) supplier search
D) supplier selection
E) order-routine specification
105) ________ refers to the stage of the business buying process in which the buying
organization decides on and specifies the best technical product characteristics for a needed
item.
A) Performance review
B) General needs description
C) Product development
D) Proposal solicitation
E) Product specification
106) During which of the following stages of the business buying process is a buyer most likely
to conduct a value analysis by carefully studying components to determine if they can be
redesigned, standardized, or made less expensively?
A) proposal solicitation
B) general need description
C) order-routine specification
D) performance review
E) product specification
107) A manager in a garment manufacturing company decided to replace the plastic shopping
bags currently used in his company with bags made of recyclable material. Consequently, he
asked the operations officer to gather relevant information and send a list of alternatives to him.
In the business buying process, the manager is preparing a(n) ________.
A) problem statement
B) general needs description
C) supplier list
D) proposal solicitation
E) order-routine specification
108) ________ is an approach to cost reduction in which components are studied carefully to
determine if they can be redesigned, standardized, or made by less costly methods of
production.
A) Proposal solicitation
B) General needs description
C) Order-routine specification
D) Cost-benefit analysis
E) Product value analysis
109) By showing buyers a better way to make an object, outside sellers can ________.
A) turn straight rebuy situations into modified rebuy situations
B) reduce delivery times and save money
C) provide incentives for larger orders
D) turn straight rebuy situations into new task situations
E) discourage straight rebuys
110) Johann Herr’s company has standardized the size of its paper bags so that each bag can be
used in five to seven different store departments. In the business buying process, this approach
to cost reduction most likely took place in the ________ stage.
A) problem recognition
B) general needs description
C) product specification
D) supplier search
E) proposal solicitation
111) Sail Metalworks Inc. is currently looking for the best vendors of metal sheets. In other
words, Sail Metalworks is ________.
A) preparing a general needs description
B) deciding on product specification
C) conducting a supplier search
D) preparing an order-routing specification
E) reviewing suppliers’ performance
112) Members of the buying center at Kid’s World, a store for children’s clothing, are drawing
up a list of desired supplier attributes and their relative importance. Next, they intend to
compare several suppliers’ proposals to these attributes. In which step of the business buying
process is the buying center at Kid’s World involved?
A) general needs description
B) proposal solicitation
C) supplier selection
D) order-routine specification
E) performance review
113) Which of the following most likely occurs in the supplier selection stage of the business
buying decision process?
A) The buyer calls for detailed written proposals or formal presentations from each potential
supplier.
B) The buyer compiles a small list of qualified suppliers by reviewing trade directories, doing
computer searches, or contacting other companies for recommendations.
C) The buying team decides on the best product characteristics and specifies them accordingly.
D) The buyer prepares a general need description and identifies the quantity of the needed item.
E) The buying center draws up a list of the desired supplier attributes and their relative
importance.
114) If a task is new, complex and costly, on which stage of the buying process will the buyer
spend a greater amount of time?
A) preparing a general needs description
B) deciding on product specification
C) conducting a supplier search
D) preparing an order-routing specification
E) reviewing suppliers’ performance
115) A company will likely identify qualified suppliers by doing all of the following EXCEPT
________.
A) online searches
B) reviewing trade directories
C) phoning other companies for recommendations
D) placing classified advertisements
E) being contacted by salespeople of qualified firms
116) In which stage of the business buying process does the buyer contact suppliers for bids?
A) general needs description
B) product specification
C) supplier search
D) proposal solicitation
E) order-routing specification