ABSTRACT
In larger companies, business development is the space between the marketing and sales activities in the commercialization process. Marketing departments develop value propositions based on the common needs of customers. Sales teams execute on selling the products or services that marketing has developed. The period leading up to the very first sales to customers, however, is the most difficult. No matter how good the developer’s plan, there are a myriad of reasons why customers decide to buy or not to buy a product. The same is true for engineers considering whether to use composite materials instead of traditional ones in their designs. The technical benefit of using composite material is only one of several criteria for most customers. This section describes the decision-making process of industrial customers, typical challenges, and how the business development, or growth, stage of the commercialization process occurs with respect to composite materials.
