Prioritization of factors influencing Iran bitumen pricing strategies Using Fuzzy AHP

Pricing is a dominant competitive weapon. Research on business-to-business (B2B) marketing stresses the importance of pricing for every firm s long-term survival. However setting appropriate prices is highly demanding. Because of the complexity and wealth of influential factors. Identification of the most significant determinants, evaluation of their influence that allows to increase the competitiveness of pricing, is the main purpose of the paper. In this research, qualitative and quantitative methods used to determine internal and external factors, using FAHP method to rank them. By interview with managers and questionnaire, the internal and external factors were identified and weighted by FAHP method. Results indicate that bitumen price competitiveness depends on competitive intensity, bitumen types and diversification, supply/demand of external market, international experience, marketing strategy, bargaining power of consumers, exchange rate fluctuation, global crude oil price, , political environment (sanction), vacuum bottom price (cost of production input), supply terms of vacuum bottom on stock market, and land transport cost.

Keywords:

Price , Internal factors , External factors , Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process