Hrvatsko društvo ekonomista

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November 2011. ::: Vol.62 No.11

Dragan Benazić

THE BEHAVIOUR OF CROATIAN BUSINESS CUSTOMERS IN THE PURCHASE AND USE OF MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SERVICES Pregledni rad The paper presents the results of an empirical research carried out on a sample of 110 Croatian company managers. The results of the research reveal the business areas for which Management Consulting (MC) Services were provided, the aims and the motives for the employment of these services, the criteria of choice, the influence of individual decision makers on the selection of the service provider, the importance of the services process and results for the customer and the practice of employment of MC Services. The implications of the research results for the marketing of MC Services are also provided. MC Services providers need to clearly identify the needs and the potentials of the customer and adapt their service accordingly. MC Service providers need to direct their communication activities towards the qualitative elements of their offer, especially to their competences in business problem solving and the expected benefi ts from the service. Furthermore, the results indicate that MC Services are rarely used which suggests that it is especially important to engage in quality management of the MC providers’ potentials and processes in order to create an impression of trust and satisfaction thereby securing long-term cooperation with the customer. Management Consulting Services; Marketing of Management Consulting Services; business customer behaviour; service provider selection criteria Puni tekst (Hrvatski) Str. 662 - 692 (pdf, 248.93 KB)

THE BEHAVIOUR OF CROATIAN BUSINESS CUSTOMERS IN THE PURCHASE AND USE OF MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SERVICES

Pregledni rad

The paper presents the results of an empirical research carried out on a sample of 110 Croatian company managers. The results of the research reveal the business areas for which Management Consulting (MC) Services were provided, the aims and the motives for the employment of these services, the criteria of choice, the influence of individual decision makers on the selection of the service provider, the importance of the services process and results for the customer and the practice of employment of MC Services. The implications of the research results for the marketing of MC Services are also provided. MC Services providers need to clearly identify the needs and the potentials of the customer and adapt their service accordingly. MC Service providers need to direct their communication activities towards the qualitative elements of their offer, especially to their competences in business problem solving and the expected benefi ts from the service. Furthermore, the results indicate that MC Services are rarely used which suggests that it is especially important to engage in quality management of the MC providers’ potentials and processes in order to create an impression of trust and satisfaction thereby securing long-term cooperation with the customer.

Management Consulting Services; Marketing of Management Consulting Services; business customer behaviour; service provider selection criteria

Puni tekst (Hrvatski) Str. 662 - 692 (pdf, 248.93 KB)