B2B Mrkt (Topic 1, 2, 3)

Topic 1, 2, 3

What is Business-to-Business (B2B) marketing?

Marketing of products or services between organisations rather than individual consumers

What recent food safety example was used in class?

A recall of Tesco sesame seeds due to salmonella risk.

What is Ballymaguire Foods, what does it do, & when was it established ? (3)

• It’s a sister company to Country Crest

• Prepares fresh foods for retail & food service

• Established in 2008

What is Ballymaguire Foods' main business focus?

Produces freshly prepared foods for its retail and food service partners / customers.

Under what brands are Ballymaguire Foods products sold?

Private-label brands belonging to their customers.

What are Ballymaguire Foods' main categories? (4)

• Main meals

• Meal accompaniments

• Soups

• Sauces

What is meant by ingredient traceability?

All ingredients can be tracked back to their source.

What crisis affected Ballymaguire Foods in 2025?

A listeriosis outbreak linked to one death and the recall of over 200 products

How did Ballymaguire respond to the crisis? (4)

• Suspended production

• Informed customers

• Worked with authorities

• Withdrew products for shelves

Why is the Ballymaguire case important in B2B marketing? (3)

It highlights the importance of

• Supplier relationship,

• Quality control, and

• Reputation management

What major contract did Country Crest secure with Tesco?

A multi-year supply contract worth almost €100 million.

What products does Country Crest supply Tesco? (3)

• Potatoes

• Onions

• Sweet potatoes

What makes the Country Crest-Tesco relationship a B2B relationship?

One business supplies products directly to another business.

What agreement did Ballymaguire Foods sign with Musgrave?

A €170 million, five-year supply agreement.

Which Musgrave brands receive products from Ballymaguire Foods? (3)

• SuperValu,

• Centra, and

• Daybreak.

Why are supplier relationships important in B2B marketing? (4)

• They ensure quality,

• Continuity of supply,

• Innovation, and

• Long-term value creation

Example of complex B2B supplier networks?

McDonald's supply chain.

Why does McDonald's rely heavily on suppliers? (3)

To guarantee consistent

• Quality,

• Safety, and

• Supply across markets.

Why is food safety vital in B2B relationships?

Safety failures can damage both supplier and buyer brands and disrupt the supply chain

What term was introduced regarding corporate reputation management?

Sportswashing.

What is sportswashing?

The use of sports sponsorships and partnerships to improve or protect corporate reputation.

What issue was associated with Kingspan after the Grenfell Tower tragedy?

The Grenfell report criticised Kingspan's marketing practices because the company used misleading language when promoting its K15 insulation product.

What percentage of insulation in Grenfell Tower came from Kingspan?

Approximately 5%.

Name examples of Kingspan sports partnerships. (atleast 2)

• Shane Lowry,

• Cavan GAA

Why is the Kingspan case relevant to B2B marketing?

It highlights the importance of branding, reputation, sponsorship, and stakeholder management.

Why is understanding the B2B buyer important?

Different buyer types have different characteristics and needs requiring tailored marketing programmes.

What are the major B2B buyer categories? (3)

• Commercial enterprises,

• Governments, and

• Institutional markets.

What are commercial enterprises?

Why are B2B marketing strategies often customised?

Because each business customer is large and strategically important

Why is geographic concentration important in B2B markets?

Allows focused marketing efforts and efficient distribution.

What is supply chain management?

Linking manufacturer’s work with suppliers, intermediaries (middle-men), and customers.

How can suppliers contribute to innovation? (4)

• Sharing ideas,

• Technology,

• Expertise, and

• Participating in product development

What happens when a supplier becomes central to the customer's supply chain?

The relationship becomes long-term and collaborative.

Why must B2B marketers understand purchasing managers?

Because purchasing decisions help achieve firm objectives.

How does the internet assist purchasing managers?

Helps research suppliers, materials, technologies and market trends.

What efficiencies can supply chain management create? (4)

• Reduced cycle times,

• Lower inventories,

• Lower costs, and

• Greater effectiveness.

What factors were listed for supplier evaluation? (4)

1. Defect rates

2. Quality audit conformance (Do they pass quality checks)

3. Sample performance

4. Responsiveness to quality problems

When is price most important?

For highly standardised products.

When are performance criteria most important?

For unique, complex, or novel products.

What role do governments play in B2B buying? (2)

• Purchase products and services

• Establish procurement rules and contract terms.

What is formal advertising procurement?

A process where the lowest bidder usually wins the contract.

When is formal advertising most suitable?

For standardised products with straightforward specifications.

What is negotiated contract buying?

A procurement method used for complex products or where few suppliers exist.

What factors besides price matter in negotiated contracts?

Quality and performance.

What should government sellers understand?

• Rules,

• Standards,

• Negotiation strategies,

• Contract completion, and

• ayment terms

Give a case example that highlights large-scale government procurement and contractor relationships.

The National Children’s Hospital Case

Which company is building the hospital?

BAM.

What issue emerged between BAM and government representatives?

Disagreements regarding delays, timelines and project management

Why is this relevant to B2B marketing?

It illustrates complex buyer-supplier relationships and stakeholder management.

What was controversial about the Leinster House bike shelter?

€336,000 of tax payers money was spent to make a simple bike shelter outside Leinster House in Dublin

In regards to the Leister House controversy, what did the Deloitte audit find?

The project lacked basic good practices, when deciding whether it was worth the money invested.

Why is the Leister House bike shelter case important?

Demonstrates accountability and procurement challenges in government purchasing.

What organisations make up the institutional market? (4)

• Non-profits

• Schools

• Hospitals, and

• Similar institutions

What challenge do institutional buyers face?

Balancing mission goals with budget constraints.

What are institutional purchases often focused on? (2)

• Long-term value

• Social impact

What are characteristics of institutional markets? (2)

• Involves multiple stakeholders

• Purchase decisions are guided by organisation’s mission

What does PPP stand for?

Public-Private Partnership

What is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP)?

A long-term arrangement between a PUBLIC AUTHORITY and PRIVATE ORGANISATION to deliver infrastructure and services

Who carries significant risks and management responsibilities in a PPP?

The private partner.

How long do PPP agreements typically last?

Approximately 25-35 years.

What happens to ownership after the PPP period?

Ownership transfers to the State.

Why do governments use PPPs? (5)

To access funding, expertise, innovation, efficiency and risk-sharing.

What are advantages of PPPs? (5)

• Innovation

• Budget certainty

• Risk transfer

• Infrastructure development

• Private-sector expertise

What are risks of PPPs? (5)

• Higher costs

• Financing issues

• Political challenges

• Renegotiations

• Accountability concerns

Why are reporting requirements important in PPPs?

To bridge information gaps between government and private partners, so neither side misses key details.

Why is a legal framework necessary in PPPs? (2)

• Ensures project sustainability, and

• Accountability

What is the marketing environment?

The people and factors that affect how well an organisation can build & keep good relationships with its customers

What are the major ways to classify environmental forces? (2)

• Internal vs External

• Micro vs Macro

What is the internal environment (3)

Factors within the company such as → structure, resources, and employees.

What is the micro environment? (6)

• Customers,

• Suppliers,

• Competitors,

• Intermediaries,

• Publics, and

• The company itself.

What is the macro environment? (6)

PESTLE

• Political

• Economic

• Social

• Technological

• Legal forces

• Environmental

What are the Five Cs?

• Customers

• Company

• Collaborators

• Competitors

• Context

What is customer analysis? (4)

The process of understanding customers' needs, behaviours, profiles and segmentation.

What are the stages of customer analysis? → in-order (3)

1. Identify customers and segments.

2. Determine customer needs.

3. Match products to those needs.

Why segment customers?

Different customer groups have different needs and motivations.

What is a competitor?

An organisation offering a similar product, service, or targeting the same customers.

What are core competitors?

Firms competing directly for the same target market

What are extended competitors?

Firms indirectly competing for the same target market.

What are substitutes?

Alternative solutions meeting the same customer need.

What elements should be monitored in competitor analysis?

4P’s

What key questions should competitor analysis answer? (3)

• Who do we compete against?

• How can competitors be grouped?

• Who may become competitors in future?

What should firms analyse about competitor strategies? (6)

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Objectives

• Positing

• Image

• Financial performance

How can competitors be grouped strategically? (4)

• Similar strategies

• Characteristics

• Assets

• Competencies (key skills / strengths)

What framework measures competition intensity?

Porter's Five Forces.

Name the 5 Porter's Forces.

1. Competitive rivalry

2. Threat of new entrants

3. Threat of substitutes

4. Bargaining power of suppliers

5. Bargaining power of buyers

What does “Competitive Rivalry” explore

The level of existing competition within the market

What does “Threats of New Entrants” explore

How easy it is for new businesses to enter the market and compete with existing ones

What does “Threats of Substitutes” explore

How easily consumers can switch to alternatives that meet the same needs.

What does “Bargaining power of Suppliers” explore

How much power suppliers have on business operations.

(Supplier availability + dependency / demand → directly influence pricing & availability of resources)

What does “Bargaining power of Buyers” explore

How much power customers have to demand lower prices or better quality.

What should be examined when analysing a company?

• Its financial performance

• Wider performance measures

• The founder mindset

What does the phrase "The fish may be the last to know it swims in water" imply?

Organisations may overlook environmental influences because they are so familiar with them.

Who are collaborators → with examples (atleast 3)

Any stakeholder that can contribute to organisational success

• Suppliers

• Distributors

• Shareholders

Why analyse collaborators?

Build stronger, more integrated & efficient relationships

What does PESTLE stand for

• Political

• Economic

• Social

• Technological

• Legal

• Environmental

Why use PESTEL analysis?

To examine external factors that are outside the organisation’s control

Why are contextual changes important?

They can affect entire industries, creating opportunities or threats.

Which PESTEL factor would tariffs fall under?

Political and Economic

Which PESTEL factor would AI developments fall under?

Technological