Abstract
Despite segmentation's importance for marketing in general and the extensive research published on the topic over several decades, business-to-business segmentation is still not fully developed as a general theory—a status that may decrease academic interest in the field. Based on a recent contribution on the definition and typology of theory, this paper explores the degree to which segmentation can be considered a theory and, more specifically, which elements and perspectives are currently underdeveloped. We highlight some fundamental challenges that must be addressed to establish a better theoretical foundation for segmentation's evolution into a more developed theory. We also present questions for future research to guide the advancement of business-to-business segmentation, which is necessary for a concept so central to business-to-business marketing.
Originalsprog | Engelsk |
---|---|
Tidsskrift | Industrial Marketing Management |
Vol/bind | 116 |
Sider (fra-til) | 82-92 |
Antal sider | 11 |
ISSN | 0019-8501 |
DOI | |
Status | Udgivet - jan. 2024 |
Bibliografisk note
Published online: 7 December 2023.Emneord
- Segmentation
- Theory
- Customer need
- Research
- Buying behavior