Managing Business Relationships

The aim of this book is to encapsulate the research and understanding of the authors about the problems of companies operating in business markets, in a form that will excite the interest and assist the "thinking manager" and the current MBA student. The authors are all members of the IMP (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing) Group and have carried out a number of wide-ranging studies into the complex problems that companies have in managing their relationships with customers, suppliers and other partners in the business markets. Managing Business Relationship will provide the reader with a better understanding of the reality of business markets and the nature of strategy in these markets.

Table of Contents:
Preface Chapter 1 Making Sense of Business Markets 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Interaction and Relationships 1.3 The Realities of Business Markets 1.4 Interdependence and Networks 1.5 Conclusions: Relationships, Portfolios and Networks Chapter 2 How Companies Relate To Each Other 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Problems, Uncertainties and Solutions 2.3 Change and Development of Buyer-Seller Relationships 2.4 The Pre-Relationship Stage 2.5 The Exploratory Stage 2.6 The Developing Stage 2.7 The Stable Stage 2.8 Movement Between Different Relationship Stages 2.9 Conclusions: The Task of Managing Relationships Chapter 3 The Nature of Management In Business Markets 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The Substance of Buyer-Seller Relationships 3.3 A Relationship View of The Company 3.4 Managing In This Complex World 3.5 Conclusions: Relationships As A Way To Reduce Complexity Chapter 4 The Idea of Strategy In Business Markets 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Strange Management and Business Relationships 4.3 What Relationships Mean For Strategy In Business Markets 4.4 Conclusions: Complexity In Strategy Chapter 5 Developing Strategy In Business Markets 5.1 Introduction: Strategic Choice 5.2 Consumer Portfolio 5.3 Consumer Value 5.4 Organisation For Effectiveness And Efficiency 5.5 Strategic Success 5.6 The Strategy Development Process 5.7 Conclusions: Strategy Development in Business Markets Chapter 6 Managing Relationships With Suppliers 6.1 A Starting Point: Changes In Supply 6.2 Analysing Supplier Relationships 6.3 Managing Supplier-Relationships and Supply Strategy 6.4 The Dimensions of Supply Strategy 6.5 The Scope of Supplies 6.6 The Posture of Supplier Relationships 6.7 The Structure of The Supply Base 6.8 Conclusions: Making The Most of Supplier Relationships Chapter 7 Managing Customer Relationships 7.1 Introduction 7.2 The Basis of Customer Relationships 7.3 The Dimensions of Customer Relationships 7.4 The Scope of Customer Relationships 7.5 The Posture of Customer Relationships 7.6 The Structure of Customer Relationships 7.7 Pricing In Relationships 7.8 Conclusions: Business Relationships Chapter 8 Distribution Relationships 8.1 Introduction 8.2 The Nature of Distribution Networks 8.3 Distribution Relationship Choices 8.4 Managing Relationships in Distribution 8.5 Evolution in Distribution 8.6 Conclusions: Distribution From A Network Perspective Chapter 9 Relationships and Technology 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Alternative Pictures of Technological Development 9.3 Technology and Companies 9.4 Technological Development in Business Networks 9.5 The Technological Content of Business Relationships 9.6 The Influence of Technological Development on Relationships 9.7 Bringing Relationships and Technology Together 9.8 KM 7: From Failure To Success 9.9 Creating Economic Value From Technology 9.10 Relationships As Multidimensional Links 9.11 Conclusions: The Technology Interface Chapter 10 Managing Business Relationships 10.1 So What Does It All Mean 10.2 A View of Managing Business Relationships 10.3 A View of Markets and Networks 10.4 A View of Technology 10.5 A View of The Company 10.6 A View of Strategy 10.7 A View of Distribution 10.8 A View of Marketing and Purchasing