%0 Journal Article %J Technology Innovation Management Review %D 2018 %T Strategic Foresight of Future B2B Customer Opportunities through Machine Learning %A Daniel Gentner %A Birgit Stelzer %A Bujar Ramosaj %A Leo Brecht %K action research %K B2B industries %K customer base analysis %K customer foresight %K customer knowledge %K customer profile %K data mining %K machine learning %K strategic foresight %X Within the strategic foresight literature, customer foresight still shows a low capability level. In practice, especially in business-to-business (B2B) industries, analyzing an entire customer base in terms of future customer potential is often done manually. Therefore, we present a single case study based on a quantitative customer-foresight project conducted by a manufacturing company. Along with a common data mining process, we highlight the application of machine learning algorithms on an entire customer database that consists of customer and product-related data. The overall benefit of our research is threefold. The major result is a prioritization of 2,300 worldwide customers according to their predicted technical affinity and suitability for a new machine control sensor. Thus, the company gains market knowledge, which addresses management functions such as product management. Furthermore, we describe the necessary requirements and steps for practitioners who realize a customer-foresight project. Finally, we provide a detailed catalogue of measures suitable for sales in order to approach the identified high-potential customers according to their individual needs and behaviour. %B Technology Innovation Management Review %I Talent First Network %C Ottawa %V 8 %P 5-17 %8 10/2018 %G eng %U https://timreview.ca/article/1189 %N 10 %1 Ulm University Daniel Gentner is a Junior Research Fellow at the Institute of Technology and Process Management at Ulm University in Germany. His research focuses on product management in B2B industries and especially on customer analytics methods and applications. Additionally, he works at iTOP.Partners GmbH as consultant and trainer for B2B product management, for example in the Center of Excellence in Global Product Management (CE ProMM). There, he supports the experience and knowledge transfer to practitioners on processes, techniques, roles, responsibilities, and tasks of product management in globally acting German and Swiss B2B companies. Daniel studied Business Administration at Ulm University and the University of Connecticut and holds a Master of Science degree from Ulm University. During his studies, he worked as a Student Research Assistant at Ulm University and as a student trainee in different companies (B2B and B2C). %2 Ulm University Birgit Stelzer is a Senior Research Fellow of the Institute of Technology and Process Management at Ulm University in Germany, where she is also Head of the Department of Didactics. She has a diploma and a PhD in Management Science. She also works as a consultant and trainer for B2B companies on foresight topics, agile project management, and organizational transformation. Her research focuses mainly on foresight issues and business model innovation. She also lectures at several institutions in Europe, including the University of Antwerp and Steinbeis University Berlin. %3 Ulm University Bujar Ramosaj is a PhD Candidate at the Institute of Technology and Process Management at Ulm University in Germany, where he holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Technology Management. His research focuses on the financial evaluation of emerging technologies and the assessment of their potential to gain greater value in technology-related M&A activities. In addition, he works for ITOP.Partners GmbH as a technology management consultant, where he identifies, analyzes, and evaluates technologies and technology strategies. %4 University of Liechtenstein Leo Brecht is a Full Professor of Entrepreneurship and Technology at the University of Liechtenstein, where he researches in innovation, technology, and product management, mainly based on analytics. He joined the University of Liechtenstein in October 2018; previously, he was a Professor at Ulm University, Germany. Leo is the author of several books and the founder of two start-up companies. %R http://doi.org/10.22215/timreview/1189