Özet:

The purpose of this paper is to explore the attitudes towards trade fairs that are the most important marketing tool influencing buying decisions in industrial markets and to search whether or not these attitudes are different from those in sub sectors. Since trade fairs are primary, effective and common marketing activities in defence industries, this industry has been selected as a research area. In this research paper, 50 of the firms which operate in defence industry are treated as population. A questionnaire containing 51 questions was conducted on 50 of the firms’ workers in business development department/section managers/senior managers and 32 people responded to the questionnaire. 5 point likert scale was used. The respondents were asked to indicate their degree of agreement with the statements measured by a five-‐point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree). And the mean values of each response were calculated. Ranking means in a descending manner, the order of importance was listed according to responses under each title. Additionally, a frequency analysis and percent of frequency were figured out. Kruskal Wallis Test is used to understand whether differences in sub sectors’ answers to the survey questions are significant or not. According to responses to the questionnaire, the purpose of trade fair participation is to gather information about rivals as well as to create country and product image. Nearly all Respondents (%97) considered trade fairs as the most important marketing tool in defence Industry. It seems that there is no significant difference in responses of four sub-‐sectors in defense industry. The research is limited to the defense industry. Due to the nature of defence industry, getting general judgment from findings can cause fallacy for the other sectors. The cost of trade fairs seems as the most important problem, thus state support for cost reduction is of importance and the persistence of this support is required. Participation decisions in the defense industry fair are taken based on intergovernmental relations, strategic partnerships and the country's overall interests rather than rationality. Studies concerning trade fair is limited in Turkey. Exhibitors’ points of view related with trade fairs are revealed for the first time in defence industry with this study. This article is expanded version of the paper presented at the 13rd National Congress of Business Administration. Year: 2014 Volume: 1 Issue: 3 1. INTRODUCTION In intense competition environment in national and international industrial markets, companies use various marketing tools and techniques to be successful. Firms operating in industrial markets use trade fair as the second most important promotional factor influencing buying decisions of industrial purchases after personal selling (Yüksel and Voola 2010: 293). Trade fairs are, in some ways, the ultimate example of marketing excellence. All the interested parties, be they buyers, sellers, students, designers, influencers in the buying decision, or users of products are represented under one roof at one time Each has come to trade in some ways-‐ each has needs to fulfill, and is prepared to spend time, money, and effort to fulfill those needs (Blythe, 2010:60). Communication covers the process of exchanging information and news between parties and trade fairs is one of the tools of communication (Aycı, 2011:163). Literature on the subject devotes considerable attention to defining trade shows. In many cases, the term “trades show” is regarded as a synonym for fairs, trade fairs and expositions. Trade fairs are defined as regularly scheduled events at which manufacturers display their products and take orders (Kirchgeorg, Springer and Kästner (2010:63). Among whole promotional tools, fair and exhibitions are the only distinctive tools that bring buyers and sellers together by providing a commercial environment (Tek, 1999:790). Trade shows rank second behind only personal selling in influencing buying decisions of industrial purchases (Palumbo, fred and O’hara, Brad and Herbig, Paul, 1998). Industrial Trade Fairs are generally international trade-‐oriented events where parties that make large-‐scale purchases and sales are brought together rather than end users (Ecer and Canıtez, 2005:304). Trade shows & exhibitions provided a forum for companies to display and demonstrate their products to potential buyers who had a special interest in buying those products. (Situma, 2012:221). Fairs could be described in a more comprehensive and extensive way as follows: Fairs represent events that aim to present and transfer technological developments, information, and innovation regarding tradable goods and services through the establishment of booths, they denote events whose organizer, name, type, location, subject, date, and duration are determined in advance, that are organized in fields that suit qualifications for establishing and improving information transfer, cooperation, and future commercial relations, and that look out for the interest of the field, sector, and the society (Aycı, 2011:161). It was believed that exhibitions or trade fairs began almost 600 years before the birth of Christ. While no precise record was available, the book of Ezekiel (in the Bible) written in 588 BC, contained many references to merchants trading in a “multitude of the kinds of riches with silver, iron, tin and lead”. Ezekiel also talked about the city of Tyre which was an important center of trade and commerce. There was also a close connection between fairs and religious celebrations and holy days. The word “Feria” came from the Latin meaning “holy day” and the term was still commonly used to describe what we might otherwise refer to as an exhibition or trade fair. (Situma, 2012:221). It is proposed that the first fair that is closest to our understanding of fairs today was established by King Dagobert in France (Akmankuy, 2006:185). Fairs could be classified as: • Local, regional, national, and international, according to the audience addressed, • Global and authentic, according to their content and scope, • Exhibitions, trade fairs, and specific fairs, according to their activities. Recently, the concept of virtual fairs has emerged with the development of information technologies and electronic commerce. It is possible to classify fairs in two groups according to the environment it takes place. When we take the virtual fair concept into account, it is also possible to classify fairs as virtual and actual according to the environment they take place. Virtual fairs are online business platforms where companies have the opportunity to present their products and services, reach target groups, and that provide a means for advertising in order to direct customers to the website (Çavuşoğlu, 2006:92). Geigenmüller (2010:286) defined virtual trade fairs as web-‐based platforms where customers, suppliers and distributors can get together virtually at any time and from any place. Attendees can visit virtual halls and booths online to obtain information about a company’s profile, its products and its services, and interactions between exhibitors and visitors take place entirely in a multimediabased environment comprised of textual, visual, and acoustical elements. In the past years, the importance of fairs has increased and it is predicted that this increasing trend will continue in the coming years. According to the CEIR index report issued by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) the fair industry displayed a growth of 1.5 % in 2012. No significant growth is expected for 2013; however, a substantial growth is foreseen for 2014 and 2015. In the long run, the growth will accelerate (Retrieved June 25, 2013, from http://www.ceir.org/articles/detail/2013/2012-‐CEIR-‐Index-‐Results-‐Released ). Also in the same report, in 2012, the fair area, number of fair participants, the number of visitors, and actual income increased by 1.2 %, 0.5%, 2.5%, and 1.6%, respectively. With the development of technology and transport, the commercial function of fairs became prominent. Regional and international relations acquired new dimensions through fairs and at the same time, fairs also contributed to the development of world trade (Akmankuy, 2006:186). The advantages which trade shows carry over other promotion methods, both for visitors and exhibitors, include the possibility of immediate follow-‐up, no interruption of other activities (as compared to sales calls), the opportunity for hands-‐on experience of the exhibits and one-‐to-‐one exposure of buyer to seller. (Fowdar, 2004:44). According to Kotler and Armstrong (2011:487) vendors receive many benefits from trade fairs, such as opportunities to find new sales leads, contact customers, introduce new products, meet new customers, sell more to present customers, and educate customers

Anahtar Kelimeler: