Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi

Programme Name and Batch: MBA(IB) 2018-21

Course:
Core / Elective:
Course Co-ordinator: MR.ANURAG MISHRA
Email: anurag1.mishra@gmail.com
Term: Credits:2

Course Introduction
B2B marketing is a highly specialized field of marketing .B2B markets are characterized by fewer
customers, high degree of functional interdependence, fewer customers, large sized orders,
negotiations and contracts, buying centers, and complex nature of buying often involving longer sales
cycles, significance of process and relationship benefits.

B2b is often considered synonymous with industrial marketing, although recently its scope has
expanded to also include marketing of b2b products using e-commerce, and services too e.g.,
consultancy services provided by McKinsey to the government of India.

India’s business landscape is fast changing in the business-to- business market space and new and
innovative marketing practices are coming into play. For example, India's largest private sector steel
manufacturer, Tata Steel has launched a series of marketing innovations such as customer value
management (CVM), retail value management (RVM), branding of steel, that has enabled Tata Steel
to exit from the vicious downward spiral of commoditization of steel previously witnessed in the
Indian steel industry. Similarly, Tata Steel through a joint venture with India's largest public sector
steel giant, Steel Authority of India has also initiated an e-sourcing initiative called
www.metaljunction.com which is the largest B2B e-commerce platform in India. This esourcing
initiative has resulted in dis-intermediation in the supply chain, facilitated collection of statutory
sales tax documents as well as receivables from buyers in lesser time, and is fast becoming a full-
fledged KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing) outfit, providing complete order generation and
fulfillment services for the sales supply chain.

Course Objectives
1.a.Student should be able to identify key “social /political /economic and other factors” in the

international environment which can impact B2B Marketing decisions for businesses

1.b. Student should be able to analyse how identified “social /political /economic and other factors”

in the international environment can impact business decisions in a B2B Marketing and Business
context.

1.c..Analyse and appreciate the difference between B2C Marketing(traditionally understood to be

marketing) and B2B marketing and the significance of B2B Marketing dynamics in todays world.

2.a. Student should be able to clearly identify the central problem or issue in complex business

situations

2.b. Student should be able to define the challenges and risks related to an uncertain and complex

business situation and suggest strategies to effectively manage them.

3. Student should be able to demonstrate an understanding of cross

cultural issues in communication in B2B Markets.

Programme Learning Goals covered through this Course

1.Intenational Perspective in Decision Making:

Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate international perspectives in decision making in a

B2B Marketing Context .This shall be done by analyzing the marketing mix framework used in B2B

Marketing.

2.Managing complex and uncertain business situations

Students will be equipped to manage business challenges in a competitive environment

3.Effective Communication Skills

Students will be able to communicate effectively and persuasively in a B2B organizational context

with a wide range of stakeholders

Pedagogy
(lectures, case studies, project work, simulations, etc)

The course’s pedagogy will include lecture sessions, case discussions and presentations/project work
as well as simulations/role plays/presentations.
Linkages with Other Courses (optional- may relate direct/indirect linkages)

Microeconomics

Supply Chain Management

Brand Management

Business Strategy

Pricing

Distribution

Sales Management

Business Negotiations

Evaluation Component
(End Term should be 40% and no single component can be more than 30%.
For Core courses-The evaluation component/s which provide a direct measure of one or more programme
learning goals may be marked with * and at least one such component should be indicated)

Quizzes : 30%

End term examinations : 40%

Presentations : 15%

Class Participation : 15%

Text Book / Reference Text

Business to Business marketing: Analysis and Practice, by Robert Vitale, Joseph Giglieorano,
and Waldemar Pfoertsch, Pearson Publishers, Latest Edition.
Session Plan:

Session Topic and Sub topics Reading

Reference/Cases
(with brief description of what intends to be achieved)

1 An introduction to Business Marketing: Nature, Scope and Chapter 1

Challenges

2 B2B Environment:Customers,Organisations and Markets Chapter 2

3 Organisational Buying Behaviour & tendering Chapter 3

4 Concepts and Context of Business Strategy Chapter 5

5 Market Research and /Developing Product ,value or service Chapter 6 and 8

6 Business Market Segmentation(STP) and Innovation Chapter 7 and 9

7 Brand and Value Management for B2B market Chapter 13

8 Distribution Channel management and the role of Marketing Chapter 14 and 15

Channels

9 Pricing for Business Markets Chapter 10

10 B2B Marketing planning,development /Managing the customer Chapter 11 and 12

relationship

Any Other Detailed Instructions / Information (optional)

Additional Readings/ Journals (optional)

 Cases in Business Marketing (co-edited by Pramod Paliwal, Ramendra Singh, and Sudhir
Yadav), Tata McGraw Hill Publishers, 2013.

--Business to Business Marketing by Ross Brennan,Louise Canning and Raymond McDowell.

AOL Evaluation (for Core Courses Only)

Learning Goal No.___________

Evaluation Component to be used for AOL___________________________________

Rubrics to be used for evaluation

Objectives Excellent Good Fair Unsatisfactory