Activity I: For many years, critics have charged that intermediaries contribute

Activity I: For
many years, critics have charged that intermediaries contribute
strongly to the rising prices of goods in the American economy. Would
business marketers improve the level of efficiency and effectiveness in
the channel by reducing as far as possible the number of intermediate
links in the channel? Support your position.
Activity II: An
increasing number of manufacturers are adopting more sophisticated
purchasing practices and inventory control systems. What are the
strategic implications of these developments for business marketers
wishing to serve these customers?
Activity III:
Hill-Rom is a leading B2B firm that dominates a niche in the healthcare
industry. Go to hill-rom.com and, first, describe the products
and services that Hill-Rom offers to hospitals. Next, describe how
Hill-Rom products or solutions might reduce the total cost-in-use for a
hospital.