Individual and Organisational Interests:

Buyers usually have two goals. They want to further their company's position in profits and acceptance by society. They want also to protect or improve their position in their firms. This is about self-interest. These goals can be mutually consistent. For example, if the firm's goal is to save money, the buyer may negotiate a low price from a supplier and he knows that his organisation will reward him for good performance.

The buying decisions are made easier if the individual and organisational goals are consistent. But in some significant areas the buyer's goals are not consistent with those of the firm. The firm may insist in dealing with the lowest price so the buyer does not want to change. In this situation the seller must stress to the buyer (I) What is good for the firm and (ii) What is in it for the buyer.

Promotional appeals should be directed to the buyer's self-interest if two or more competing firms offer the same products, prices and post sale services.

Buyers purchases range from routine to complex buying decisions. This means that the buying situations in industrial organisations vary widely in their complexity, the people involved, and the time required. A great deal of research has been carried out about organisational buying behaviour.