The purchaser's perceived risks in different economic situatins: implications for B2B marketing management

This paper tries to discover whether purchasing managers modified their behavior during the economic boom in 2007 and the subsequent crisis of 2008. Based on 84 interviews in the business-to-business field, perceived risks and countermeasures chosen by purchasers in these exceptional economic circumstances were investigated. The author attempts to contribute to the research stream of organizational buying behavior by examining the impact of the economic situation on organizational buying. Findings suggest that purchaser’s perceived risks and their chosen countermeasures differ significantly and could provide a starting point for an adaption of suppliers’ marketing activities.