Customer Knowledge Acquisition in the Business Products Market

Examines how the business products‐marketing firm acquires knowledge about its customers. Objectives include identifying the most effective means by which organizations can acquire customer knowledge, and the specific kind of knowledge which firms should strive to possess about their customers in order to create value. Puts forward two key premisses regarding where customer knowledge acquisition efforts should lie, and what the results of these activities should be. Presents the results of an empirical study conducted in the telecommunications industry on this topic. Concludes by drawing managerial implications.