Several people can occupy a given role such as user or influencer, and one person may play multiple A purchasing manager, for example, often occupies the roles of buyer, influencer, and gatekeeper simultaneously: She can determine which sales reps can on other people in the organization; what budget and other constraints to place on the purchase; and which firm will
actually get the business, even though others (deciders) might select two or more potential vendors that can meet the company's requirements. The typical buying center has a minimum of five or six members and often has dozens. Some may be outside the organization, such as government officials, consultants, technical advisors, and other members of the marketing channel. One study found that 3.5 more people on average were engaged in making a business purchase decision in 2005 than in 2001.19