Observation

A corporate buyer is an institution or organization that buys goods/inputs for further production, resale and smooth running of the firm.

The differences between Consumer buying behaviour and corporate buying behaviour

1. Consumer buys in small quantities while corporate buys in large quantities.
2. Consumer makes purchase decision by himself while corporate buying decision is made by group of persons.
3. Consumer buying decision is emotionally based while corporate buying decision is rationally based.
4. Consumer buys for ultimate use while corporate purchases for further production of other goods.
5. Consumer buys from middlemen while corporate buys from manufacturers.
6. There is no reciprocity in consumer buying behaviour while there is reciprocity in corporate buying bahaviour.
7. Consumer buying behaviour does not entail the use of professionals while corporate buying behaviour entails the use of professionals.
8. Consumer buying process is simple while corporate buying process is complex.
9. Consumer buying behaviour entails a short-term relationship while corporate buying behaviour entails a long-term relationship.

Response:
Factors that would influence corporate buying behaviour

1. The quality of inputs desired by the corporate buyers would determine the purchase decision.
2. Corporate buyers do consider the capacity of suppliers in terms of meeting the required number of items at a point in time.
3. The ability of the suppliers to meet up with delivery schedules promptly would affect the corporate buying decision.
4. The price of inputs offered by suppliers would affect corporate buying decision.
5. The sources where the materials are purchased would affect the corporate buying decision.
6. The tasks to be performed by the corporate buyer would determine the purchase decision.
7. The corporate policy/objective of the organization would determine its purchase decision.
8. The reputation/image of the supplier would determine the corporate buying decision.
9. The reliability of the sources of the supply would affect the corporate buying decision.

Comments
Question number 1a: this was a technical question and many students did not understand the meaning of corporate, so they refer to it as a person or someone instead of an institution or organization. This affected their ability to answer the questions correctly. This also was the case in questions 1b and c. However, the overall performances of the students in these questions were poor.