IMP – some things achieved: much more to do

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to re‐examine the challenges that were made in the original International Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) project, in the light of all the changes that have occurred in the business world since 1982.

Design/methodology/approach

Although some of these challenges have been widely accepted, some have not and much further development of the ideas behind them is needed. The article examines what has happened in business practice and theory that is in line with the challenges. It also highlights those areas where little has happened. This analysis then forms the basis for a discussion of what ideas may now need to be radically challenged again. In doing this, the paper relates the authors' ideas to the dominant marketing paradigm and to the evolving empirical trends in business.

Findings

The original IMP project challenged both the structure and process of business. The challenge was to the idea of the business world as an atomistic structure of independent actors within markets. Instead, a structure of relationships between interdependent companies was suggested. The challenge to process was to the idea of independent action and the authors' view of business was based on the interaction between these interdependent companies. The analysis in this paper suggests that the challenge to ideas on the structure of the business world has been partially accepted, but that the challenge to the idea of independent company action has not.

Originality/value

The paper suggests reasons for this difference in impact. It emphasises that many approaches to understanding and managing business relationships are based on the false idea that relationships are some kind of management technique that can be employed by managers at their discretion. The paper suggests instead that business relationships are an inevitable outcome from the nature of business and hence beyond the complete control of either participating company. The paper also suggests that an interaction view has profound implications for authors' view of the nature of business and business activity. The paper presents a detailed comparison of the differences between a world based on markets and action and one based on relationships and interaction. It concludes with the thought that increasing one's understanding of the nature of business interaction will be a prime task in the future for the IMP Group, for businesses researchers in general and for managers.

Citation

Ford, D. and Håkansson, H. (2006), "IMP – some things achieved: much more to do", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 40 No. 3/4, pp. 248-258. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560610648039