B2B market segmentation: A systematic review and research agenda

Roberto Mora Cortez, Ann Højbjerg Clarke and Per Vagn Freytag

Journal of Business Research, 2021, vol. 126, issue C, 415-428

Abstract: Segmenting industrial markets is a key challenge for the marketing field. More than 30 years of research has not produced comprehensive guidelines for developing robust B2B market segments; only a few studies have empirically tested the impact of segmentation and the literature today appears to be more fragmented than earlier. The present study integrates prior endeavors via a systematic literature review, scrutinizing 88 papers in detail. It develops a three-layer framework comprised of: (1) conceptualization of B2B market segmentation, (2) segmentation as a process, and (3) context. The authors use the framework to evaluate scholarly efforts during the 1986–2019 period and propose a broader view on segmentation as a continuous process. Marketers can benefit from the study by adopting four activities for segmenting markets: (1) pre-segmentation, (2) segmentation, (3) implementation, and (4) evaluation. Finally, the authors identify several gaps and offer a rigorous, practice-oriented research agenda, providing direction for academicians.

Keywords: Segmentation; Targeting; B2B marketing; Systematic review; Marketing strategy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296320309073
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:126:y:2021:i:c:p:415-428

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.12.070

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Business Research is currently edited by A. G. Woodside

More articles in Journal of Business Research from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().