Davis, P R (2003) The application of relationship marketing in the construction industry: Work in progress report. In: Greenwood, D J (ed.) Proceedings of 19th Annual ARCOM Conference, 3-5 September 2003, Brighton, UK.
Abstract
Relationship Marketing (RM) embodies international, industrial and services marketing and in a business context is superseding traditional marketing theory. It is apparent from initial research into product and process industries that RM has the potential to provide construction organizations with significant benefits. These benefits include; enhanced ability to overcome problems, close coordination, process improvements; reduced risk associated with complex decision making and significant long-term value to prospective and existing clients. To determine a suitable research strategy for a PhD topic, a focus group was set up with construction industry stakeholders to discuss issues associated with RM. A brief description of the process and outcome leads to the conclusion of the merit in the research topic. A subsequent literature review formed the basis of quantitative questionnaires that were sent to a broad cross section of the Perth construction community. Interim results of the field study are presented and aligned with concurrent empirical studies of literature pertaining to RM. The final outcome provides a robust benchmark for construction organizations to consider that draws together contemporary best practice contract strategies and industrial and services marketing RM theory/ research. In conclusion an insight into how RM thinking in business services marketing may guide strategic direction for construction organizations is provided.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | marketing; relationship marketing; procurement; tendering |
| Index terms: | decision-making, best practice, empirical study, contract strategy, marketing, questionnaire, construction community, construction industry, coordination, process improvement, construction organization, relationship marketing, field study, focus group, literature review, strategy |
| Subjects: | data analysis and analytics, contractual arrangements, data collection methods, organization, business, decision analysis, industry analysis, management, research methods, professional development |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Information Management, Research Practice, Risk Management, Procurement, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here