The Marketer's Handbook: Reassessing Marketing Techniques for Modern Business

AAR MODEL

Application: Business-To-Business Marketing, Planning Major Account Strategy, Relationship Marketing

The Concept

This little known idea, the “actors-activities-resources” model (see Figure A.1), divides business relationships into three progressive and inter-related layers:

(i) “Activity links” are the work, projects, or other activities, involved in the interaction between two businesses. These vary with the depth of relationship. They range from simple sales and technical projects through to two firms meshing or adapting their systems and business processes to become more efficient. The latter has created sizable business opportunities in areas such as outsourcing over the past few decades.

(ii) “Actor bonds”. These occur when two business people interact through a buying or professional advisory process. The academics behind this research suggest that there are three components necessary for them to develop. The first is reciprocity during the process, ensuring that both sides give something to the interaction, even if one is a customer. The second is commitment and the third is trust. All three increase as healthy business relationships develop.

Figure A.1: The actors-activities-resources model

Source: Håkansson and Snehota, 1995

As people interact they form perceptions ...