BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS MARKETING
MNM2604
2025 Study guide update for new prescribed textbook - Makhitha, KM. 2024. Business-to-business:
Marketing, 3rd edition. Cape Town: Juta.
This is what I found when comparing the references in the study guide to Makhitha, K.M. 2024. Business-to-Business
Marketing, 3rd edition and Makhitha, K.M. 2024. Business-to-Business Marketing, 2nd edition. Where I could not locate the
content in the newly prescribed textbook, I inserted the relevant context from the previous edition.
I believe it is extremely unfair to students, who pay substantial fees, to receive study guides that contain inaccurate or
outdated references. UNISA has let us down once again.
,Learning Unit 1 4
1.1. INTRODUCTION 5
1.2. DEFINING B2B MARKETS AND B2B MARKETING 6
1.3. TYPES OF B2B CUSTOMERS OR BUYERS 6
1.4. MARKET STRUCTURES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF B2B AND B2C MARKETS 7
1.5. BUYING BEHAVIOUR OF B2B AND B2C CUSTOMERS 8
1.6. MARKETING PRACTICES OF B2B AND B2C BUSINESSES 9
1.7. CLASSIFICATION OF B2B PRODUCTS 9
1.8. SUMMARY 10
1.9. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 10
1.10. SELF-REFLECTION 11
Learning Unit 2 12
2.1. INTRODUCTION 13
2.2. THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF B2B BUYING 13
2.3. THE BUYING CENTRE OF CUSTOMER FIRMS 14
2.4. THE B2B BUYING PROCESS FOLLOWED BY CLIENT FIRMS 15
2.5. TYPES OF PRODUCTS THAT CUSTOMER FIRMS BUY 17
2.6. TYPES OF BUYING DECISIONS TAKEN BY CUSTOMER FIRMS 18
2.7. SUMMARY 18
2.8. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 19
Learning Unit 3 20
3.1. INTRODUCTION 21
3.2. DEFINING STRATEGIC PLANNING, STRATEGY AND THE STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL ORGANISATION
LEVELS 21
3.3. THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS 22
3.4. SUMMARY 29
3.5. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 30
3.6. REFLECTION 30
Learning Unit 4 31
4.1. INTRODUCTION 32
4.2. MARKETING RESEARCH IN BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS MARKETS 32
4.3. B2B VERSUS BUSINESS TO CUSTOMER (B2C) MARKET RESEARCH 32
4.4. B2B MARKETING RESEARCH APPROACHES, TECHNIQUES AND INFORMATION SOURCES 34
4.5. THE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL B2B MARKETING RESEARCH 37
4.6. MARKETING RESEARCH CHALLENGE 38
4.7. PERFORMING A COMPETITOR ANALYSIS 38
4.8. SUMMARY 45
4.9. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 45
4.10. REFLECTION 46
Learning Unit 5 47
5.1. INTRODUCTION 48
5.2. A PRACTICAL BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS SCENARIO 49
5.3. THE MARKET STRUCTURE OR MARKET PREFERENCE PATTERN 49
5.4. SHOULD MARKET SEGMENTATION BE DONE? 52
5.5. THE MARKET SEGMENTATION EXERCISE 53
5.6. TARGET MARKET SELECTION 61
5.7. PERCEPTION ANALYSIS AND PRODUCT POSITIONING 62
5.8. SUMMARY 63
5.9. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 63
5.10. REFLECTION 64
2
,Learning Unit 6 65
6.1. INTRODUCTION 66
6.2. INNOVATION 66
6.3. PRODUCT MANAGEMENT 70
6.4. B2B SERVICE PRODUCTS 73
6.5. SUMMARY 74
6.6. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 74
6.7. REFLECTION 74
Learning Unit 7 75
7.1. INTRODUCTION 75
7.2. THE PRICE SETTING PROCESS 76
7.3. SUMMARY 77
7.4. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 77
7.5. REFLECTION 78
Learning Unit 8 79
8.1. INTRODUCTION 80
8.2. DEFINING B2B MARKETING COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES 80
8.3. MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION 81
8.4. MARKETING COMMUNICATION ELEMENTS (TOOLS) 83
8.5. COMMUNICATION DIFFERENCES IN B2B AND B2C MARKETS 84
8.6. BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS SALES MANAGEMENT 85
8.7. THE SELLING PROCESS 85
8.8. BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS BRANDING 87
8.9. THE IMPORTANCE OF BRANDING 87
8.10. THE PROCESS FOR BUILDING STRONG BRAND EQUITY 88
8.11. SUMMARY 89
8.12. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 89
8.13. REFLECTION 89
Learning Unit 9 90
9.1. INTRODUCTION 91
9.2. MANAGING THE VALUE CHAIN 91
9.3. RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT 93
9.4. SUMMARY 95
9.5. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 95
9.6. REFLECTION 95
3
, Learning Unit 1
Introduction To Business-to-Business Marketing
Overview of the learning unit Learning outcomes
Key Concepts
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Define B2B markets and B2B marketing
1.3. Types of B2B customers or buyers
1.4. Market structures and characteristics of B2B and B2C markets
1.5. Buying behaviour of B2B and B2C customers
1.6. Marketing practices of B2B and B2C businesses
1.7. Classification of B2B products
1.8. Summary
1.9. Self-assessment questions
1.10. Reflection
1.11. References
Lessons Outcomes
After completing this learning unit, you should be able to:
■ Define what a B2B market entails
■ Differentiate between the various types of B2B consumers/buyers
■ Describe the difference between B2B marketing and B2C marketing
■ Differentiate between the various business product classifications
Overview Of The Learning Unit
This learning unit seeks to clarify the term “business-to-business” in the context of marketing principles and the manner in which
it is applied in dealings with business or organisational customers. It also seeks to differentiate between business-to-business
and business-to-consumer marketing.
It is crucial that you as student understand what business-to-business (B2B) marketing is all about and how it differs from
business-to-final-consumer marketing. Therefore, you have to spend some time on this learning unit in order to get a very good
idea what this field of study is all about. We find that even when the final assignment of this module is submitted, there are still
students who are unsure what the difference between B2B marketing and B2C marketing is. You cannot afford to make such a
mistake!
4
MNM2604
2025 Study guide update for new prescribed textbook - Makhitha, KM. 2024. Business-to-business:
Marketing, 3rd edition. Cape Town: Juta.
This is what I found when comparing the references in the study guide to Makhitha, K.M. 2024. Business-to-Business
Marketing, 3rd edition and Makhitha, K.M. 2024. Business-to-Business Marketing, 2nd edition. Where I could not locate the
content in the newly prescribed textbook, I inserted the relevant context from the previous edition.
I believe it is extremely unfair to students, who pay substantial fees, to receive study guides that contain inaccurate or
outdated references. UNISA has let us down once again.
,Learning Unit 1 4
1.1. INTRODUCTION 5
1.2. DEFINING B2B MARKETS AND B2B MARKETING 6
1.3. TYPES OF B2B CUSTOMERS OR BUYERS 6
1.4. MARKET STRUCTURES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF B2B AND B2C MARKETS 7
1.5. BUYING BEHAVIOUR OF B2B AND B2C CUSTOMERS 8
1.6. MARKETING PRACTICES OF B2B AND B2C BUSINESSES 9
1.7. CLASSIFICATION OF B2B PRODUCTS 9
1.8. SUMMARY 10
1.9. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 10
1.10. SELF-REFLECTION 11
Learning Unit 2 12
2.1. INTRODUCTION 13
2.2. THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF B2B BUYING 13
2.3. THE BUYING CENTRE OF CUSTOMER FIRMS 14
2.4. THE B2B BUYING PROCESS FOLLOWED BY CLIENT FIRMS 15
2.5. TYPES OF PRODUCTS THAT CUSTOMER FIRMS BUY 17
2.6. TYPES OF BUYING DECISIONS TAKEN BY CUSTOMER FIRMS 18
2.7. SUMMARY 18
2.8. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 19
Learning Unit 3 20
3.1. INTRODUCTION 21
3.2. DEFINING STRATEGIC PLANNING, STRATEGY AND THE STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL ORGANISATION
LEVELS 21
3.3. THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS 22
3.4. SUMMARY 29
3.5. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 30
3.6. REFLECTION 30
Learning Unit 4 31
4.1. INTRODUCTION 32
4.2. MARKETING RESEARCH IN BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS MARKETS 32
4.3. B2B VERSUS BUSINESS TO CUSTOMER (B2C) MARKET RESEARCH 32
4.4. B2B MARKETING RESEARCH APPROACHES, TECHNIQUES AND INFORMATION SOURCES 34
4.5. THE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL B2B MARKETING RESEARCH 37
4.6. MARKETING RESEARCH CHALLENGE 38
4.7. PERFORMING A COMPETITOR ANALYSIS 38
4.8. SUMMARY 45
4.9. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 45
4.10. REFLECTION 46
Learning Unit 5 47
5.1. INTRODUCTION 48
5.2. A PRACTICAL BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS SCENARIO 49
5.3. THE MARKET STRUCTURE OR MARKET PREFERENCE PATTERN 49
5.4. SHOULD MARKET SEGMENTATION BE DONE? 52
5.5. THE MARKET SEGMENTATION EXERCISE 53
5.6. TARGET MARKET SELECTION 61
5.7. PERCEPTION ANALYSIS AND PRODUCT POSITIONING 62
5.8. SUMMARY 63
5.9. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 63
5.10. REFLECTION 64
2
,Learning Unit 6 65
6.1. INTRODUCTION 66
6.2. INNOVATION 66
6.3. PRODUCT MANAGEMENT 70
6.4. B2B SERVICE PRODUCTS 73
6.5. SUMMARY 74
6.6. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 74
6.7. REFLECTION 74
Learning Unit 7 75
7.1. INTRODUCTION 75
7.2. THE PRICE SETTING PROCESS 76
7.3. SUMMARY 77
7.4. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 77
7.5. REFLECTION 78
Learning Unit 8 79
8.1. INTRODUCTION 80
8.2. DEFINING B2B MARKETING COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES 80
8.3. MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION 81
8.4. MARKETING COMMUNICATION ELEMENTS (TOOLS) 83
8.5. COMMUNICATION DIFFERENCES IN B2B AND B2C MARKETS 84
8.6. BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS SALES MANAGEMENT 85
8.7. THE SELLING PROCESS 85
8.8. BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS BRANDING 87
8.9. THE IMPORTANCE OF BRANDING 87
8.10. THE PROCESS FOR BUILDING STRONG BRAND EQUITY 88
8.11. SUMMARY 89
8.12. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 89
8.13. REFLECTION 89
Learning Unit 9 90
9.1. INTRODUCTION 91
9.2. MANAGING THE VALUE CHAIN 91
9.3. RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT 93
9.4. SUMMARY 95
9.5. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 95
9.6. REFLECTION 95
3
, Learning Unit 1
Introduction To Business-to-Business Marketing
Overview of the learning unit Learning outcomes
Key Concepts
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Define B2B markets and B2B marketing
1.3. Types of B2B customers or buyers
1.4. Market structures and characteristics of B2B and B2C markets
1.5. Buying behaviour of B2B and B2C customers
1.6. Marketing practices of B2B and B2C businesses
1.7. Classification of B2B products
1.8. Summary
1.9. Self-assessment questions
1.10. Reflection
1.11. References
Lessons Outcomes
After completing this learning unit, you should be able to:
■ Define what a B2B market entails
■ Differentiate between the various types of B2B consumers/buyers
■ Describe the difference between B2B marketing and B2C marketing
■ Differentiate between the various business product classifications
Overview Of The Learning Unit
This learning unit seeks to clarify the term “business-to-business” in the context of marketing principles and the manner in which
it is applied in dealings with business or organisational customers. It also seeks to differentiate between business-to-business
and business-to-consumer marketing.
It is crucial that you as student understand what business-to-business (B2B) marketing is all about and how it differs from
business-to-final-consumer marketing. Therefore, you have to spend some time on this learning unit in order to get a very good
idea what this field of study is all about. We find that even when the final assignment of this module is submitted, there are still
students who are unsure what the difference between B2B marketing and B2C marketing is. You cannot afford to make such a
mistake!
4
