Two professors in the business department at a local college recommend textbooks to be used by all faculty in the department for the coming year. Which role are these two professors playing in the textbook market?

Order-getters are typically sales representatives who actively seek out new customers and generate sales by persuading them to buy. In this scenario, the professors are not engaging in direct sales activities or seeking new customers; rather, they are providing recommendations to existing faculty members.

Order-takers process purchases from existing customers without actively seeking new business or influencing decisions. Unlike order-takers, the professors are not merely filling orders; they are recommending specific textbooks, thereby influencing the choices of their colleagues rather than just taking orders as they come.

While the professors do have a role in the decision-making process regarding textbook selection, the term "decision makers" suggests a formal authority or final say in the purchasing process. In this case, they are more accurately described as influencers, as their recommendations guide other faculty members’ decisions rather than solely determining the outcome.