Systems theory approach to conducting industrial marketing research

Two decades ago, leading marketing academicians called for the application of systems theory to marketing study (Fisk, 1967; Lazer and Kelly, 1962). Since then, few researchers have applied an open-systems level of analysis to the study of industrial marketing. While a few researchers have started moving in this direction (Spekman, 1977; Spekman and Stern, 1979), integration of open-systems concepts holds tremendous further potential as a research agenda in industrial marketing. The purpose here is to demonstrate how such an open-systems approach should and can be used in order to conduct productive research within the industrial- marketing setting. An empirical example of this approach is presented as well as the theoretical basis for the approach. This approach has considerable merit for basic or theory building, as well as for applied-research motive.