Using a Judgemental Analysis System to Evaluate the International Mainframe and Computer Market

C.P. Holland, Peter Naude, Barrie Heptonstall

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

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Abstract

A judgemental analysis system that supports and facilitates the use of multi-criteria evaluation was used to evaluate the mainframe computer market. The work was conducted with a large systems vendor. The purpose of the research was to compare the relative perceptions of customers and the internal sales force for different computer platforms: mainframe, mid-range, Windows NT and Unix servers. The product attributes were defined by working with the mainframe supplier and each of the platforms was evaluated against each attribute. Data were collected from interviews with senior managers from fifteen customer organizations in a range of industries including banking, manufacturing, insurance and distribution. Data were also collected from six members of the European sales team to enable a dyadic comparison between customer evaluations and supplier perceptions of the same market. The key results are that significant differences exist between the relative importance of individual attributes between the customers and members of the supplier’s sales team, and clear patterns emerge on the scoring of each platform against the attributes. The implications for using a multi-criteria tool for data collection and analysis are outlined, and the importance of the research results for managers and academics involved in the IT industry are described.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Customer is NOT Always Right? Marketing Orientationsin a Dynamic Business World
Subtitle of host publicationProceedings of the 2011 World Marketing Congress
PublisherSpringer Nature
ISBN (Electronic)2363-6165
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Publication series

NameDevelopments in Marketing Science: Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science
ISSN (Electronic)2363-6165

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