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The B2B Knowledge Gap

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  • Lilien, Gary L.

Abstract

Roughly equal in terms of the economic value of transactions, B2B (Business-to-Business) marketing sees a small fraction of the academic research attention that B2C (Business-to-Consumer) marketing sees. In this article, I cite some of the reasons for that imbalance. I then highlight three specific areas—B2B Innovation, B2B Buying and B2B Analytics—that have great potential for yielding academically significant research contributions that meet the needs of practitioners. In each area, I sketch the state of knowledge and then identify a few research questions. I then highlight a number of other areas of B2B that offer high potential. Next, I comment on the importance of crafting B2B academic research that is both rigorous and relevant and what we as a profession might do to encourage more such work. I then offer a few thoughts about how to increase the participation of practitioners in the B2B knowledge creation process.

Suggested Citation

  • Lilien, Gary L., 2016. "The B2B Knowledge Gap," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 543-556.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ijrema:v:33:y:2016:i:3:p:543-556
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijresmar.2016.01.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Barry L. Bayus, 2013. "Crowdsourcing New Product Ideas over Time: An Analysis of the Dell IdeaStorm Community," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(1), pages 226-244, June.
    2. Gary L. Lilien & Pamela D. Morrison & Kathleen Searls & Mary Sonnack & Eric von Hippel, 2002. "Performance Assessment of the Lead User Idea-Generation Process for New Product Development," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(8), pages 1042-1059, August.
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    7. Abbie Griffin & Brett Josephson & Gary Lilien & Fred Wiersema & Barry Bayus & Rajesh Chandy & Ely Dahan & Steve Gaskin & Ajay Kohli & Christopher Miller & Ralph Oliva & Jelena Spanjol, 2013. "Marketing’s roles in innovation in business-to-business firms: Status, issues, and research agenda," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 323-337, December.
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    Keywords

    B2B; B2B Innovation; B2B Buying; B2B Customer Analytics;
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