 Theories on industrial buying behavior differ fundamentally with

regard to motivation and direction of industrial purchasing decisions.

 This becomes extremely in the case of new institutional economics,

highlighting administrative aspects, and market process theory
focusing on entrepreneurial aspects of buying decisions.

 This paper aims to challenge these approaches by setting up an

experimental design
• Are out-performers more likely to show self-protection
behavior than under-performers?
• Are under-performers more likely to show opportunity
seeking behavior than out-performers?
 NIE Market Process Theory

Range of application Situations of asymmetric information General theory of economic behavior

Empirical testability Good Limited

Driving force behInd buying Self-protection Opportunity seeking

 Supplier Customer

Dominant problem Earn customers' trust Asymmetrical information

Goal Self-protection Self-protection

 Supplier Customer

Identifying and realizing arbitrage

Dominant problem Earn customers' value opportunities

Goal Communication of profitable opportunities Alertness