The Domain Owner

The sound of the word ¿customer¿ brings to mind the person using the company¿s products to meet their needs. However, in reality, a chain of intermediaries intervenes between a particular firm and the end consumer of its products. The gathering of information, aiming at obtaining and maintaining clientele, is sought in various ways. The most common are: market research, using various lists of organizations or individuals (who use specific goods because of occupation/ profession) and periodic reports submitted to the company by specialized partners. Client handling is considered as one of the most serious problems of modern business. Some businesses are forced to establish special promotional programs addressed to customer categories. Nevertheless, consumer demand for greater convenience and better service makes the problem even harder. Two different groups of decision makers are being addressed simultaneously: private entrepreneurs (commercial firms, academic firms) and academic entrepreneurs (universities), interested in optimizing knowledge management and in developing heterogeneously composed knowledge-based research networks; and public (governmental, sub governmental) actors.